Destiny
by Hapkido9Chick
Summary: The Dark side does not call; it whispers. Follow Jedi apprentice Miranda Helo in a twisting tale of deception and darkness, as an unnatural set of events lures her unknowingly to the dark side...but once she realizes it, will she be able to stop it?
1. Chapter 1

** Hey! I'm really new to the whole fanfiction concept, and this is my first story for this site, so please please _**please**_ read and review! Constructive criticism would be great! I'll try to post Chapter 2 soon if it seems like anybody's interested. Thanks =) **

Disclaimer: Like everybody else on this site, I don't own Star Wars. Only own my OC's. Duh. Also, like everybody else, I wish I did, so we could finally get some movies out that are actually GOOD.

**Chapter 1**

"No."

"Oh, for star's sakes, Tysin, at least give them a chance."

"Stop pushing me, Cura. I said I don't want to take a padawan; let that be the end of it." Tysin Fallis stood outside a training room, hands clasped behind her back as she looked out through a large viewing window. She didn't turn from her observations when Cura spoke.

Cura, headmaster of the Temple younglings, glared at the younger woman and stepped closer. "Need I remind that the Council has directly _ordered_ you to take an apprentice?" Tysin Fallis stepped back, rolled her eyes, and forced out a short, frustrated sigh. Her dark eyes wandered disinterestedly down upon the room filled with young jedi hopefuls, scanning across the sparring matches that had been taking place all day. Cura, noticing her distraction, took the opportunity to speak again. "This is the perfect time to choose an apprentice; the Temple Tournament has just started, and you'll have an entire week to find one you like. And," she added with a wink, placing one hand on the young Jedi's shoulder, "this way the Council won't have to pick one for you."

Tysin, a defeated look on her face, sighed again. "All right. Show me the list."

Cura smiled triumphantly and placed a small datapad in front of Tysin. "These padawans at the top of the list are one that I've decided would be a good match for you. See, the first one, Brek Tanner, he's sparring on the fourth court, with the blue lightsaber. What do you think?"

Tysin watched the duel for a few moments. Brek definitely had the upper-hand, and by all rights the fight should have been over minutes ago, but he was prolonging it to hold the attention of a crowd of knights that was moving his way. Tysin turned from the viewing-port ledge and shook her head. "No," she said simply.

Cura, exasperated, tried without success to mask her irritation. "No? Why not? He's a headstrong-"

"He's just another teenager who thinks that he's invincible," Tysin snapped, cutting her off. "I don't want any more of your help," she added, briskly walking towards the door. "I'll find an apprentice on my own."

"On your own," Cura echoed once she was out of earshot, running a hand through her graying hair. "Just like everything else you do."

* * *

Tysin Fallis scowled as she walked through the ranks of sparring initiates. She didn't want an apprentice; she never had. She _hated _working in teams. Being assigned a mission with a fellow Knight was a displeasure that she could deal with, but this…No. She didn't need the trouble of constantly worrying about some juvenile pest wherever she went. Padawans ruin missions, they get in the way, and they need continuous babysitting during a fight. And that was a nuisance that the straight-to-business Knight didn't need. However, it was inevitable. The Council told her that morning that she was to take an apprentice, end of story. Mace Windu had even mentioned that an apprentice would be good for her, though she couldn't possibly see how.

Suddenly, the flash of an orange, iridescent lightsaber activating nearby caught her eye. Tysin turned her head to get a better look. A young girl, looking scarcely twelve years old had advanced to the semi-final bout for her section, paired against a much taller, older Falleen boy. The boy had his smaller opponent on the defense, landing quick, hard blows that she struggled to parry. What he had in strength, however, she made up for in agility. She danced around the training mat, dodging her opponent's heavy strikes and never letting her heels touch the ground.

The Falleen was visibly tiring, and when he lifted a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow, she made her move. Quickly and deliberately she stepped in closer to him, grabbed the hand that was wiping at his forehead, yanked his arm down and swept at his ankle with her own. The boy crashed to the ground as gracefully as possible, but before his back even hit the mat the girl's foot lashed out toward his other hand. His blade deactivated, flew out from his sweaty palm and rattled across the cold stone floor. He didn't even have a chance to reach out with the Force for his lightsaber when hers was swiftly pressed against his neck, the orange blade sizzling against wet flesh.

The movement had been so quick and unexpected that all the spectators stood in a moment of stunned silence before turning to whisper to those around. Tysin, mildly impressed by the girl's unorthodox fighting style, folded her arms and watched the child intently, her eyes never leaving the blond-haired youngling. She watched as the girl helped up her red-faced opponent, bowed to him and to the Masters, and strode matter-of-factly to the locker room.

Tysin nudged a Temple Instructor next to her and asked "Who's that kid?"

The instructor let out a humorless laugh. "_That _kid?" she inquired, pointing her chin toward the entrance to the locker room, through which the blond haired initiate had just passed. Tysin nodded, and the Instructor laughed again. "That one is Miranda Helo. We picked her up on Nar Shaddaa when she was about three; Master Cario stumbled across her while he was on a mission – purely coincidental."

"Sounds like the Force working in the situation."

"Maybe. She's come a long way for being brought here at that age. Miranda's only eleven, but already she's so advanced in lightsaber training that we allowed her to participate in the tournament."

Tysin didn't respond; she merely bit the inside of her cheek and stared at the door that Miranda had disappeared through. Noticing Tyson's continued interest, the Instructor felt the need to warn her. "Oh, you don't want Miranda as your padawan."

"Why is that?"

The Instructor laughed yet again. "Miranda is…a handful."

"She disobeys the Code?"

"Oh, no, goodness no. Mira follows the Code as strictly as any Jedi. She believes in it. It's just that Mira has her own way of looking at situations and dealing with problems; she's a 'fight first, ask questions never' type. No, you do _not _want that girl for an apprentice. She's a rebel, that one. Always questioning traditional views and practices-"

"I've heard enough," Tysin interrupted, holding up a hand to silence the rambling Instructor. She started to walk away, headed towards the locker room, when the Instructor's closing, mumbled comment reached her ears.

"Good. You wouldn't be able to handle that girl."

And that was it. Tysin Fallis _loved _a challenge, and she _hated_ being told that she couldn't do something. The two absolutes combined, there was now no question in her mind that she was going to train this girl.

* * *

Miranda Helo sat in the far, dark corner of the locker room, slowly undressing. Five minutes into the task and she only had one boot off – it had been a long day. Thankfully, it was over. She had been beaten and bruised and burned, and now she was exhausted and soaked in sticky sweat. All she wanted to do was get her clothes off, take a shower, and collapse into bed. Tomorrow was a big day: she had to spar in the championship round against a boy two years older and more experienced than her, and it wasn't going to be easy.

Another boot slid to the floor with a 'thud.' She could hear the last of the initiates leaving the locker room, gossiping about the day's events in excited voices and making hopeful guesses to which Master they would be assigned. Miranda didn't much care for gossip, and she didn't much care for those types of girls. A sock fell to the floor, and moments later its partner joined it. The belt was next to fall, and after that came the black wrappings she wore around her forearms.

Miranda stopped to take a breath and rest; every movement she made caused pain somewhere, and the pain made her fatigue. She leaned over, resting her arms on her thighs, and took another breath. A few strands of flyaway, golden hair fell into her eyes and she blew at them in annoyance, causing them to fly up in a cloud and then disappear. Her emerald eyes were glowing in the dark room, and she was afraid to close them for fear of not being able to open them again. Miranda was pretty. Her eyes, coupled with high cheekbones, a defined jaw line and an athletic build drew the attention multiple Temple boys, a fact that she desperately tried to ignore. Her hair was a beautiful, bright shade of blond, but its exquisiteness was pacified by a short cut that hung just above her shoulders. She didn't like the attention her good looks got her, so she did everything in her power – which wasn't much - to make her features unremarkable.

She was about to pull off her obi when a scuttle near the entrance made her stop. The sound of light footsteps coming her way made her back straighten and she subconsciously tucked her hair behind her ears.

Tysin Fallis appeared in the hall and she gave a short nod. "Miranda," she said, crossing her arms and leaning against a row of lockers.

"Mira," She corrected, standing up and giving a quick, sloppy bow.

"Mira," Tysin repeated. "You know who I am?"

"Of course," Mira said sharply, stooping down to straighten up the mess of garments on the floor. "You're Master Fallis. I've heard stories about you." Everyone in the Temple had heard stories about Tysin Fallis, though most were just passed off as rumors. What Mira knew for a _fact_, however, was that the woman standing before her was a greatly prized treasure of the entire jedi order – at least, that's what she had overheard one of the instructors saying. Why she was such a valuable treasure, however, was unknown to Mira, as well as almost every other jedi.

Tysin arched a brow, but decided to steer from that subject. "I watched your fight earlier," she commented, trying hard to find the right words to say.

Mira shrugged and looked down at her half-dressed self. "This isn't the best time for small talk, Fallis."

"Knight Fallis to you, kid."

"_Knight _Fallis," Mira echoed, putting special, sarcastic emphasis on the title. "I'm not exactly decent right now."

"You're decent enough," Tysin replied, dismissing the girl's comment with a wave of her hand. "I wanted to talk about you're fighting style. The way you fight is…different."

Mira's green eyes flashed. "Look," she snapped, "If you're here to tell me that I need to change the way that I fight then you can just get out and-"

"Whoa," Tysin lifted both hands in the air. She tried her hardest not to let a smile escapes her lips; this girl had attitude, and she liked it. "That's not why I'm here at all. I like the way you fight. Hand-to-hand is a very useful tool."

Mira cocked her head, confused. "Yeah," she agreed, not sure where the older Knight was headed.

"Look, Mira, I'm gonna cut the crap. I'm not good at all this formal, overly-sentimental garbage so I'm going to give it to you straight, all right?" Tysin was talking faster now, more naturally. Her words before had been forced, as if someone was choking them out of her. She didn't wait for Mira to respond, and instead continued talking, moving closer to the younger girl. "You've got spirit, kid, and that can really take you places. You think outside of the box and it looks like you can handle yourself in combat."

"I can do more than handle myself-"

"I wasn't finished," Tsyin snapped. Mira's mouth shut and she set her jaw defiantly. "I'm going to be watching you at the Tournament these next few days. Impress me some more, kid."

Before Mira could reply, the Knight swiftly wafted out of the room, trailing shadows and scents behind her. Mira wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but there was something that she liked about Tysin Fallis.


	2. Chapter 2

** I really love feedback, so just let me know what ya think =D **

**Chapter 2**

**7 years and 211 missions later **

Miranda Helo strode casually down the Great Hall in the Temple, not bothering to check her chronometer. She already _knew _she was late; there was no point in making herself more worried about it. As she stepped inside the elevator to the High Council Chamber she tugged her hood from her head, revealing short cut hair that hung angled at her jaw line. She had recently become more aware of her beauty and somewhat comfortable with it, so the boyish former cut was disposed of. Still falling prey to the habit of tucking her hair behind her ears, however, she exposed multiple violet studs on both ears, constructed from the shards of her warming crystal that had been shattered during a particularly eventful mission. As the turbolift neared its destination the jedi stood up tall, brushing off her tunic and straightening her belt.

The elevator hissed to a halt and the doors slid open, Miranda emerging from the dark. She stepped into the large circular audience room and took her place beside her master, who gave her a sharp, reprimanding look. After a quick bow to the Council she straightened up and prepared herself for a scolding.

"Ah, Miranda, so good of you to join us," Mace Windu commented dryly. "Punctuality is a key part of a Jedi's life. Would you mind telling us what you had going on that was more important than your mission briefing?"

Mira exchanged a quick glance with her master, who wore a hardened look on her face. Over their years they had developed a strong bond that allowed them to send thoughts to the other through the Force. Only a few Master-Apprentice teams had ever achieved this, though many had spent hours meditating and trying; for Mira and Tysin, it merely happened.

"_They had sweesonberry rolls for breakfast," _Mira thought, subtly winking at her un-amused counterpart.

"_Don't you dare."_

As badly as she wanted to, Mira decided not to take the bait. She had matured, and now knew when levity was and was not acceptable. Mira bowed deeply to the Council and simply said, "I have no excuse. I apologize for wasting your time, Masters. It will not happen again."

"That is very mature of you, Miranda," Depa Billaba commended, smiling at the teenager.

"Indeed," Windu agreed hastily, eager to get on with briefing.

"This briefing will be off the record. Your mission details are not to be discussed with anyone other than members of the council or amongst yourselves," Ki-Adi-Mundi said gravely, his hands folded and resting atop his lap.

"After much deliberation, chosen _you _for this mission, we have," Yoda put in, leaning forward on his gimmer stick. He had been unnervingly quiet the entire time, his eyes trained on the master-padawan pair before him.

"Tysin, your encounters with and knowledge of the dark side of the Force and the immunity you have built up to it is an invaluable asset that will prove very useful on this assignment." Mundi tilted his head and his gaze fell on Miranda, who was doing her best to hide her impatience. "And you, Miranda, have shown yourself to be a model of daring and deliberation. You can boldly rush into a new situation, handle the problem sensibly and be done with it. Not much takes you by surprise, young Helo."

Mira nodded in recognition just as Depa started to speak. "Tell me, Miranda, I've heard your battle precognition has developed into quite an asset, am I right?"

"It's…coming along," Mira said with a small grin. From a very young age Mira had been able to see glimpses of an attacker's movements before they happened, but through the years as Tysin's apprentice her skill had elevated to a level that few masters had even attained. Now, if she focused hard enough, she could read the attacks of multiple opponents seconds before they happened. It was a power that took its toll, however, and after using it extensively Mira's physical and mental exhaustion sometimes overwhelmed her, with side effects of vomiting or fainting. Or sometimes both. So she used it in moderation.

"Battle precognition is an impressive skill, indeed," Windu agreed.

"You will one day be a great asset to our ranks, Miranda," Depa said with a smile. "Keep up your hard work – your devotion is appreciated, and it's been noted," she added with a nod.

"Yes," Mace said quickly, impatient to change the subject. "Now, on to the mission. I will be brief and blunt. Dantooine, Outer Rim – that's where you're headed. You are to investigate reports about a number of ancient Jedi Holocrons being activated inside the ruins of the early Jedi Enclave. History says that all Jedi relics were destroyed after the Enclave was annihilated by the Sith, but our contact is certain that holocrons have been activated."

"The Enclave has been a playground for scavengers for thousands of years," Tysin put in. "Why wouldn't they have found them?"

"Unless we're being set up," Mira mused.

"Precisely," Windu continued. "We're sending you off in an hour. Investigate these claims, be careful, and bring back those Holocrons, if they exist. Also," he added, folding his hands across his lap. "Another Jedi team will rendezvous with you on Dantooine. They are returning from a mission in that sector; you should find them waiting for you."

Mira and Tysin bowed in tandem, swiveled around, and walked in stride to the turbo-lift.

* * *

"Stop that," Tysin said, slapping her hands on the Jedi Cruiser's console in frustration.

Mira, seated across from her in the co-pilot's chair, leaning back and feet up, shrugged her shoulders. "Stop what?"

"Biting your nails. Disgusting habit."

Mira held her hands up and looked them over, as if she hadn't realized what she'd been doing. "I've been thinking about getting a tattoo," she considered aloud, deliberately changing the subject.

"Have you." The statement lacked a questioning tone, and Tysin's voice was dry and her eyes disinterested.

"Yeah, you know, just for a little bit of individuality."

"Because the earrings, short cut hair, unconventional Jedi attire and lack of a padawan braid aren't enough?" Tysin asked incredulously, turning to face her.

"A tattoo is the jewel of the crown – it's the final piece that completes the image," Mira argued. Her master _did _have a point, though. She had chosen not to take a padawan braid, and she wore a tighter-fitting tunic with fewer layers than the traditional one.

"And just what image are you trying to create, padawan?"

"_My _image. Just one that's different from _every other _female living in the temple."

"Jedi do not seek to call attention to themselves. Our aim is to fit in with the crowd, not to stand out," Tysin recited with a sigh. As much as she approved of Mira's ability to act like an individual rather than some Jedi clone, she wasn't about to voice _that_ opinion - she certainly didn't want any more attention drawn to them – her padawan's good looks alone attracted plenty of sidelong glances. Abruptly, a light flashed on the Cruiser's console.

"Nearing destination. Powering down hyperdrive," the ship's onboard computer droned. "Arrival at Port Matale in approximately four standard minutes."

"Pretty planet," Mira commented, leaning forward to look out the viewport at the mass of green and blue that was slowly expanding.

"It is from up here," Tysin replied.

"You've been here before?"

'No. But I did my homework. This planet has been ravaged by war after war. It's primitive now, and the settlers here have no idea about the history they're sitting on top of. Prepare to deal with the uncivilized."

"You take me to all the nicest places, master," Mira muttered.

Tysin smiled wryly at her blond apprentice and waited as Mira took over the controls to land the ship.

Dantooine gradually grew bigger, until its image completely filled the viewport of the Cruiser. Port Matale came into sight. It was a small, isolated platform bordered by a dozen dilapidated buildings and surrounded on all sides by a few jagged cliffs and a mass of unsettled, grassy plains

Once the Jedi Cruiser touched down, Tysin and Mira, survival packs slung over their shoulders, walked in tandem down the descended landing ramp. Almost immediately they were greeted by a gang of small children, clad in tattered, dirty clothes and armed with outmoded vibrosticks.

"That's a mighty fine ship you got there," One child commented, stepping forward.

"Yeah," Another agreed, sticking his chin into the air. "Give it to us now and you can walk away with your legs intact." His ancient, corroded vibrostick was held at the ready.

Mira's hand instinctively reached toward her lightsaber, but Tysin gently held it back.

"And just how do you except us to walk away _without _our legs intact?" She questioned amusedly, grinning.

The child didn't know how to respond, but he had little chance because a Twi'lek Customs Officer ran up, arms flailing in the air wildly, and the young gang immediately dispersed. "Shoo! Get out of here you criminals!" He turned to the two Jedi and bowed, his head-tails twitching nervously. "I apologize for this…nuisance. I am Bosk'Loraa, Port Matale Customs Agent. My logs show that this visit is unscheduled. There is a standard inconvenience fee of 100 credits, I'm afraid. Might I inquire as to the nature of this sudden visit?"

"We have urgent business here," Tysin replied shortly.

"It is my job to make sure that no trouble is brought to the Matale settlement-"

"Does it look like we mean trouble?" Mira interrupted, placing a hand on her slender hip. "We're treasure-hunters," she said pointedly. "Just looking for a little excitement. Heard there were some interesting ruins nearby."

This comment made the green alien laugh. "Ruins yes," he said with a chuckle, "but excitement – no."

_"Valid cover story, but there's still the matter of the credits for this 'inconvenience fee,'" _Tysin projected with a sidelong glance at her apprentice. She liked to give Mira a chance to take the lead, especially when it came to matters of persuasion. Miranda had an aptitude for influencing others – she rarely failed in either persuading, or _charming_, others.

"Well, if I just so happen to _not _find excitement at these ruins," Mira continued, twisting her hair around a finger and biting her lip, "there's got to be someplace around here with someone who'd be willing to help," Mira trailed on suggestively. She looked around hopelessly, then turned her gaze back to the Twi'lek, who was practically drooling.

"I-I know a good can-cantina nearby," he stuttered.

"Well I might just have to take a peek in there after I see these ruins," Miranda replied innocently, but her eyes were glowing and it was obvious to Tysin that she was Force-projecting _something _into his head, because he nodded enthusiastically.

Mira glided past him gracefully and Tysin followed a few steps behind. When they were out of earshot she gave her apprentice a reproachful glare. "That may have been overkill."

Mira waved the comment off with a subtle flick of her hand. "No such thing."

Tysin frowned and decided to change the subject, since this was a lost battle. When Miranda had her mind made up, there was absolutely _no _changing it. She had always been stubborn, but it was backed up with a solid self-confidence that Tysin had never seen shaken. "I don't want to attract any more attention to ourselves. Let's find our friends and get out of this settlement before we run into any more nosy officials."

Miranda nodded and the pair headed straight for a small but noisy cantina positioned directly across from the landing pad. It was the only place where someone could pass of as a simple traveler and be mostly ignored – which was precisely what the Jedi wanted on this mission.

The sounds coming from the cantina grew louder and more obnoxious the closer they got to it. Port Matale was a small settlement, but it was obvious that most of its occupants spent their down-time having a few drinks and mingling with the occasional traveler.

The pair strode through the large open doorway. Mira could see a Kubaz duo playing trunkflutes and percussion, but the noise of their instruments was drowned out by a group of a dozen men laughing and talking loudly.

Acrid green smoke drifted through the atmosphere of the cantina, stinging Miranda's eyes and spreading a layer of grime across her face. But she was used to it. She had practically been raised in cantinas all across the surface of Nar Shadaa, the armpit of the galaxy, which could be considered anatomically lower and less hygienic than most other places.

The pair instantly found what they were looking for – two dark, hooded figures sitting in the far back corner, sipping on drinks and ignoring the commotion around them. Miranda was anxious to see who they were. She followed Tysin up to the booth they were sitting at, and a smile slowly spread across her face as she recognized the pair of Jedi.


	3. Chapter 3

Two men stood up, the elder one with graying hair and a scarred yet serene face. The younger, his apprentice, pushed back his hood to reveal close cropped brown hair and facial stubble that made him look significantly older than his twenty years.

Tysin nodded slightly. "Cale DelZol, it is good to see you again."

"It's been too long, Tysin," Cale replied, the trace of a twinkle in his eye.

"Miranda." The younger man nearly choked. His gaze was focused on her hair, her eyes, her earring, and lastly it dwindled on her tight-fitting attire – and he didn't try to hide it. "Y-you look like a woman," he stuttered in surprise.

It was true, and his statement didn't surprise Miranda at all. Deakin Kall and she had been close friends at the Temple, ever since they were younglings in the Creche. They had grown up together, had trained together and had meditated together in the Room of a Thousand Fountains quite regularly. Without her baggy Jedi garments that he was used to and instead outfitted in a tight and revealing tunic that showed off her blossoming figure, Miranda looked very much like what he had never realized she was: a woman. A lot had changed in the four years since the two had seen each other last.

Miranda smiled graciously and turned towards Cale. "Master DelZol, you have a quick one. You must be very proud," she added sarcastically with a wink in Deakin's direction.

Deakin frowned apologetically at her. "I'm sorry, that's not entirely what I meant-"

"Shut up, yes it is," Miranda interrupted, her green eyes gleaming. She suddenly wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and held him in a tight embrace, which he eagerly returned.

"I'm so glad to see you again, Deak." She broke off the hug and held him at arm's distance before turning to her master and waiting for instructions.

Tysin, her face returning to its normal stoic expression, looked around the group. "We should leave as soon as possible for the ruins."

"Absolutely," agreed Cale with a short nod. "There's not much daylight left, and we don't know how far we have to walk."

"Can't we rent a speeder?" Deakin put in.

"No," his master replied. "We don't want to attract any attention. Walking is our safest shot."

"Besides," Tysin added, leading the group out the doors and into the sunlight, "It shouldn't be too long of a hike."

"You know where we're going?" Mira questioned, looking at her master in surprise.

"In theory. The Enclave is supposed to be west of the Port Matale. I figure if we just keep walking west-"

"We've got to hit it eventually," Mira finished for her with a grin.

* * *

The group had been walking for about an hour – quite uneventfully, without sight of any other person _or _creature or any sign of civilization _at all_ - when they spotted a single pillar on the horizon, somewhat hidden behind a small cliff. The Jedi exchanged a few relieved glances and continued forward.

Miranda and Deakin trailed a ways behind the two masters speaking quietly to each other, having spent the last hour catching up and sharing stories of their missions. Even though they had both grown up and changed significantly over their four years of separation, their friendship once again was as strong, as playful and as good-natured as ever, like nothing had changed. Miranda needed that, as most Temple females steered clear of her, and most males distanced themselves for the sake of preserving their integrity. She had a few solid friends, however, and she didn't see any reason to need more.

Deakin, on the other hand, was extremely popular not only with his peers, but with the knights and most revered masters as well. He was admired among the apprentices and younglings for his courage, strength, and charming demeanor; the instructors favored him for his level-headedness and keen attunement to the Force. His master Cale, however, had chosen him for his padawan simply because Deakin had shown a willingness to learn like none other. In the pair's earlier years, Cale had kept his apprentice humble by constantly criticizing and critiquing his methods. Now, however, seven years later, Deakin had mastered everything he had been taught, and he was even close to surpassing his master in skill.

As the group rounded the cliff corner, the sight before them brought them all to an abrupt halt. A twisting maze of imposing architecture lay before them, overgrown and with a sense of wildness about it. In the past it may have been a beautiful, welcoming structure that brought relief to travelers, but it was impossible for any of the Jedi to see that now.

Tysin turned to Cale, then to Miranda, and with a short nod of her head led them into the ruins.

The instant Miranda's foot stepped onto the Enclave grounds she felt it – she was instantly filled with a sense of unease, and gradually a slow dread, as the evil within the place began to take hold.

Tysin waited for her apprentice to catch up, and grabbing her by the shoulder she pulled her aside. "Be wary, padawan," she whispered seriously. "These ruins have been tainted by the Sith. Whatever this place was long ago – it is no more. The dark side of the Force is present here now."

Miranda steeled her expression and continued through the twisting shambles, her hand instinctively pressed against the hilt of her lightsaber. The sky overhead had suddenly turned gray, and dots of rain made the air hazy and difficult to breathe. This place didn't feel like it could have _ever _been a home for the Jedi. A quick movement caught the corner of her eye and she spun around, just in time to catch a glimpse of an obscure vision of a child, sprinting – and then he disappeared. She shook the image off and kept walking, but a dark substance that was seeping through the cracks in the rubble and fallen pillars around her made her halt. Blood.

"Tysin-"

"I know, Miranda," Tysin replied quickly. "Just keep moving and ignore the visions. It's the dark side toying with your mind. Focus on your mission."

Miranda simply nodded and the grip on her lightsaber increased. The Jedi finally made their way through the outer ruins and entered their destination – the inner circle. In the past it had been an open-air meeting ground and the center of the Enclave, around which the entire structure had been built. The ground inside the circle seemed abnormally fertile, and plants of all types occupied every surface and crawled up the walls. A few flowers dotted the landscape, and the rest was covered with extremely long grass and weeds.

This is a good sign," Cale put in, hands on his hips. "Maybe the influence of the sith never reached this far."

Tysin looked skeptical, but kept her mouth shut. Miranda looked around warily, noting the multiple pathways to the sub-levels and corridors that led to who-knows-where. The inner circle was significantly more intact than the courtyard, and Miranda was starting to think that maybe Cale was on to something…

_/Miranda./_

Miranda scuttled around, turning to look at her master, but Tysin's back was turned and she was busy examining an inscription on a wall. Once again, Miranda faintly heard her name being called and she looked around, searching for the speaker. But Cale and Deakin were engrossed in an inspection of a dilapidated statue; no one else was there. _It's just my imagination, _she told herself. _It's the dark side, like Tysin said. _

Once again she heard her name called, louder this time, and as she spun around she caught sight of a cloaked figure just as it rounded a corner in a corridor across from her. She started forward, positive that this was no vision. The figure was too clear – too _vibrant _– to have been fake. She bounded across the circle in a few steps, lightsaber in hand, but when she entered the corridor and turned down the hallway, it was empty. The hallway was long and narrow, with no adjoining rooms or access to any other area until its end; there was no way someone could have gone_ that_ distance, _that fast. _

_ /Miranda./_

_

* * *

**thanks for reading! please let me know what you think of it so far :)**_


	4. Chapter 4

Short chapter, but I wrote this one trying to show the relationship between Mira and Tysin, as well introducing a new twist...Enjoy!

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"Miranda." Behind her, she sensed a hand moving through the air in her direction. She instantly spun around, igniting her lightsaber at the same time. The battle-precognition was kicking in on instinct now, she realized, and that was good. What wasn't good, however, was the cross looked on Tysin's face as Mira's silver blade sizzled just inches from her neck.

Miranda's lightsaber was deactivated in an instant. "I'm sorry – I saw someone." She hurriedly tried to explain to her master and point down the hallway, but Tysin silenced her with a heavy breath.

"Calm yourself," she ordered. "This is a new experience for you, I understand. But what _you _must understand is that there is _no one here _besides yourself, myself, master DelZol and Deakin." She led Miranda back out to the center circle, where the other jedi pair was waiting patiently. "The evil in this place will play tricks on your mind."

Miranda decided to drop the argument; she always made a point to not discomfit her master while in the company of fellow Jedi, and she didn't want to give off the impression of disrespectfulness. "I apologize for my mistake, master," was all she said.

Tysin looked down at Miranda with a tender glimmer in her eye. _"Don't apologize, Mira," _she thought-projected. _"To learn from your mistakes is the greatest weapon a jedi can wield."_

Mira responded with merely a hasty, sidelong glance, before she looked at Cale who had opened his mouth to speak.

"I believe the best way to search these ruins is to first establish a layout," he began, his arms motioning for them to come closer. "We have four major halls that branch off from this inner circle, one of which is caved in. That leaves three passages which may lead either to simple rooms or to the vault of this facility. I do not think it wise to linger in a place such as this for too long; therefore, for the sake of efficiency, I recommend we split up and cover the three remaining passages at the same time."

Miranda had to fight to remain patient during his speech, and she could see by the way Tysin's arms were resting on her hips that she was struggling, too. She had been forced to deal with Cale's long-windedness multiple times in the past, and she had come to dread working with him. She was relieved, however, that he seemed in a hurry to accomplish their mission.

"It's settled, then," Tysin said while he took a pause – she wasn't about to let him continue. "Deakin and Miranda can handle one passage together, while master DelZol and I take passages on our own."

Both apprentices flashed quick looks towards each other and then to their masters, who both proceeded to give last-minute warnings.

"If you come across this holocron, if it even exists, do not watch it – deactivate it. Understand?" Miranda answered with a simple "yes" and Tysin smiled. "Good. Be on your guard for anything that seems out of place; this could be a trap. And keep your comm on at all times, and stay in contact, and don't forget to-"

"Master," Miranda interrupted, an exasperated look on her face. "I can handle this." She offered a slight smile, which Tysin half-heartedly returned before heading down the nearest hallway.

Mira turned around and waited for Cale to finish his conversation with Deakin. She used the Force to eavesdrop on their conversation – which under normal circumstances would have made her feel guilty, but she was curious to know just _what _kind of cautions Cale could possibly be giving Deakin.

"-and to remember your mission here," Cale was whispering. "Don't be foolish; you well know that there may be an appointment to knighthood on the way if this goes well," he said. It looked as if he was going to continue, but Deakin cut in before he had the chance.

"I'm aware of the situation and my responsibilities," Deakin replied, not bothering to whisper. He must have sensed the disturbance Mira had caused by listening in. _Oops. _

Fortunately, Cale didn't seem to have noticed it, and he patted Deakin on the shoulder and headed out with a purposeful step.

As soon as Cale was out of earshot, Deakin turned to Mira and raised his eyebrows. "Hear anything interesting?"

Mira shrugged innocently and picked at an orange plant that was flowering along the wall beside her. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Deakin grinned, then laughed out loud. "New look, but same old Miranda, huh?"

At this, Miranda rolled her eyes. "Wish I could say the same," she replied. "You haven't changed _at all_. Same old Temple Posterboy; except with a little chin fuzz."

He stepped closer to her and began picking at the same flowers she was occupied with. "It's a little more than fuzz, I think," he said with a hurt look.

At this she laughed, lifted her free hand up and gingerly brushed her fingers against the stubble on his cheek. "It's soft," she replied gently. "It's _fuzz_."

Her unexpected movement made him stiffen, but he quickly regained his composure and cleared his throat. "We should get going."


	5. Chapter 5

Another relatively short chapter, but I've been having a bit of writer's block :/

Let me know what you think of this one!

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**Chapter 5**

Miranda and Deakin had been navigating their way through the ruins, searching every room for the holocron – without success – when they came across a giant megalith, which seemed to be placed very conveniently in front of a towering archway. It loomed at least five meters above their heads, and small chunks were missing here and there, as if someone had tried to blast their way through. Obviously, every attempt had been tragically ineffective.

A sudden ripple in the Force made Miranda shudder, and she was instantly determined to discover just what the megalith was hiding. After a quick glance at Deakin, she took a few steps back and made a running leap over the stone, landing neatly on the other side. Deakin immediately followed suit, and on his way down he activated his lightsaber, the blue glow illuminating the surrounding area. Beside him, Miranda snapped a glowstick and held it up, the combined light revealing that this room was surprisingly bigger than the rest they had explored. In addition, every single pillar in this room was _still intact_.

"Looks like this was some type of…training room," Deakin commented as he looked around. On the floor in the center of the room was a large, faintly painted circle that looked as if it had once been a ring for sparring, or something similar.

Miranda walked around warily, still sensing some kind of disturbance. She stumbled across a few ancient corpses and some blaster rifles, along with assorted pieces of time-worn armor.

This was a promising discovery, as most of the other rooms were empty, the work of centuries of scavengers and treasure hunters. In fact, most of Dantooine had been stripped bare centuries ago, and the temple ruins were little more than a maze of worthless rocks.

After a few minutes of searching the room, Deakin dusted off his gold and brown tunic and groaned, leaning against a column. "This is hopeless," he huffed. "There's nothing here. This entire mission is just some prank, trying to make us look ridiculous."

His companion turned to face him, dark streaks of dirt and dust running across her face and tunic. "I sense something here," she replied simply.

Deakin considered this for a moment, then stood up. "Let's keep searching," he conceded. "Next ruin?"

But Miranda wasn't listening. She was walking hastily towards the back of the room, glowstick held at the ready, as if it was a weapon. When she reached the back wall she halted, lifted the glowstick up, and the light revealed a small crack in the stone, and an eerie, green sort of light that was faintly poking through.

Deakin curiously walked over and examined the crevice. "I know what you're thinking," he said after a minute. "And there's no way I could fit through that."

She grinned roguishly at him. "You can't, but _I can._" An energy like she had never felt before was on the other side of this wall, and she was determined to get to it.

Deakin immediately shook his head. "No. I don't think we should split up. Besides, you don't know what's on the other si-"

Before he could finish his sentence, or even move to stop her, she was in the air, leaping towards the fissure. In one quick, graceful movement she dove through the hole and landed the same way she had before, except with a little more falling on her face. Standing up and straightening her tunic, she noticed the source of the green light: thousands of small, fungus-like plants were covering the walls of what seemed to be a cave.

Ditching her glowstick, she began to work her way through the cavern. That's exactly what it was, a cavern – it continued deeply. She had been traipsing along for a while, quite uneventfully, when a movement beside her made her jump. She submitted herself to the Force and let her precognition guide her body. Ducking to the side and rolling, she ignited her lightsaber then jumped up and slashed in front of her, just as a cave Mynock emerged from its hiding place. The blade instantly cut straight through it and it dropped with a thud to the cavern floor.

Mynocks. She had read about them during their flight to Dantooine. They were large, winged creatures, and very aggressive when disturbed. She glanced down at the lifeless creature for a moment, then moved on. She was allowing the Force to guide her, feeling it getting stronger the farther she went. She couldn't quite place just _what _the feeling was, but it was a powerful disturbance, unlike any she had felt before.

She continued onward deeper into the cave, and as she did so, the green light got stronger. More and more of the fungi were present the farther she went, and the cave was almost completely illuminated. She was getting closer, she could feel it. She walked on, and finally came to…a dead end.

"Force," she spat, kicking her heel against the cold stone wall. She was about to turn around and head back when a disruption in the Force made her shudder. Instantly, her lightsaber was activated, and just as she did so, a beam of light that _didn't _belong to her flashed before her eyes. With a quick duck and roll the beam missed her. She noted, as it passed dangerously close to her head, that it was slightly reminiscent of a lightsaber blade.

The blue beam passed before her again, but this time she met it with her own. As the clear crystal of her blade collided with the light it instantly dissipated, and the trail led to a small crevice in the corner of a wall. Moving to it, she glanced inside.

Inside was a metal cylinder, but it didn't look like any Jedi-design she'd ever seen before. Nevertheless, she'd found what appeared to be a _lightsaber_. Pulling it out, she discovered that, to her surprise, it _didn't _seem ancient, as she had been expecting. The metal plating still held its luster, and the construction was familiar. Its design, however, confounded her. Long, aggressive spikes erupted violently from the top of the shaft – this definitely was _not _a Jedi design.

Searching deeper inside the fissure she discovered a red cloak and robe set. She pulled it out for further inspection, and upon doing so, a heavy metal cube fell out and clattered across the ground, a blue light suddenly emerging from all sides. She realized, too late, that it was a holocron, and she had just activated it; but was it _the _holocron they were looking for?


	6. Chapter 6

_All right, so this is my shortest chapter yet, but I think in terms of plot it's pretty important. Like always, i would love to know what you think, good or bad!_

_Enjoy! =)_

**Chapter 6**

Miranda's thoughts were interrupted by the image of a man that emerged from the cube. The holograph was blurry, but she could easily see that the man appeared badly hurt, and even _burned_. He was clutching one side with his hand, and leaning severely in that direction. On his body were the robes that Miranda held in her hands, but the lightsaber hanging from his belt was drastically different than the one she had found. _This doesn't add up._

The man spoke. "My name…Agh, I don't know how long I…my name is Jecov Svarrid. I belong to the Order of the New Jedi, and I follow the New Way." The man coughed violently, and as he did so his entire body shook. "My Order is different than that of the traditional Jedi way, which I was brought up to learn here at the Enclave." The man paused and looked around him tensely, then continued. "Recent discoveries have led to a separation amongst us, and I and those who follow the New Way have been brutally cast from the Order. In this Holocron I have recorded the teaching of the New Way, and its history, starting with the Great Jedi Revan until this moment. When you find this, you must teach the next generation the New Way; we cannot let the Jedi Order continue on as blindly as they are now!"

An explosion was muffled by the static in the old technology, and the man rocked violently to one side. "They're coming," he said hurriedly. There was no fear in his voice, no shock or alarm or confusion. He had accepted his fate, and his only task now was to pass on this knowledge that seemed so vital. "Please, learn these teachings, the Way of the Great Master Revan; only then will you be set free."

The recording shut off as another explosion sounded through the static. Miranda stood in stunned silence, her astonishment beyond expression. _What in the name of the Force was _that _about?_ She re-played the man's speech in her head, a thousand questions making it spin.

She was about to re-activate the recording, but a beep from her comlink made Miranda start. Hurriedly, she put in the earpiece and turned her comm channel on. A simple "yes," was all she managed to get out.

"Miranda." She instantly recognized the voice as belonging to Tysin, not because of its overwhelming female sound, but because of the edgy and irritated tone that carried clearly through the static. "Where are you? Deakin just contacted me, he said you ran off on your own over an _hour _ago, and hasn't been able to reach you."

An _hour_? Had it really been that long? Miranda straightened up instinctively. "Yes, I found this…cave," she began. "Deakin couldn't fit through the hole, so I went…Master, I felt something."

Surprisingly, Tysin didn't scold her. "Did you find anything?"

"Just a dead end," Miranda replied. _What? What did I just say? _"I'm on my way back." She flipped the comm channel off, picked up the lightsaber, robes and holocron, and placed them neatly back into the crevice. She stood still for a moment, trying to figure out just _why _she had lied to Tysin; she hadn't meant to – it was like the words just came out. Something _made _her say what she did…or some_one_.

Abruptly, she felt a stirring of the dark powers that had drawn her into this cave, and she knew with sudden certainty that those powers had been directly specifically at _her_. Tysin had warned her about the dark energy in this place, and she had foolishly underestimated that power. She hadn't expected anything like this cave, or that bat creature, and especially not the man in that holocron. Were the others aware this energy? It certainly didn't seem like it.

Something wasn't right about this situation, and she was going to figure it out. Wiping the dust off of her tunic, she turned around and headed purposefully back to the cave entrance.


	7. Chapter 7

_I'd just like to give a quit shout-out to everyone who's left reviews and/or added me to faves/alert. Thanks so much for your support!_

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**Chapter 7**

"I think you're jealous."

"That's ridiculous."

"And why is that?"

"Did you ever consider that maybe, just for a second, I might have been _worried_?"

At that comment, Miranda's mouth snapped shut.

Deakin considered this encouragement enough to continue, and he spoke in a collected and calm manner. "You can't just…run off like that, and then not answer your comlink; I had no idea if something had happened to you; you scared me."

Miranda's face, which had moments ago been tightened from the heat of their argument, softened. "You don't have to worry about me," she said gently. "I can take care of myself."

"We'll see about that." The two apprentices swiveled around, surprised to find Tysin in front of them. "Cale's on his way back; it seems none of us had any success," she said. To Deakin, it sounded as if she was just stating a fact. But to Miranda, who was very much in tune with her master's feelings, she sounded aloof and doubtful.

The group waited silently for Cale to return to the outer circle, the place they had designated for their rendezvous point. The sun was almost completely set, and what little light was left cast long, twisted shadows through the whole courtyard. After a few minutes Cale arrived, looking frustrated and worn-out.

"I have found a room that we can rest in for the night," he began as he approached the group. "I feel that it would be a great waste of time – as well as quite dangerous – for us to walk back to Port Matale at this hour to seek shelter."

Miranda could sense Tysin's irritation increasing, and her body seemed unnaturally tense. Afraid that her patience was worn thin, Mira spoke up before her master had a chance to. "Yes, please, I'm _so _tired."

Cale, not wanting to exhaust the young woman any further, replied immediately. "Come, come," he motioned to them all, leading them down a corridor. "It's right over here."

Miranda grinned as he led the way; this was just the reaction she had been hoping for. She was stopped short, however, as Tysin glided quickly in front of her. Miranda skidded to a halt, a questioning look on her face.

"Tell me what you found in the cave." This was not a question, and her tone coupled with the hardened look on her face demanded an answer.

Miranda was about to tell her the truth, and reveal _everything _that had happened but, like before, something indefinable came over her. "I told you," Miranda replied, "nothing."

Tysin crossed her arms and scowled. "Tell me."

An incredulous look came over Miranda's face, but she couldn't tell if it was from her master not believing her lie, or that she was simply _lying._ "There was nothing but fungus and a Mynock that tried to kill me," Miranda insisted. "That's _it_."

Tysin relented, but the look on her face said she still doubted. Grabbing her apprentice by the shoulder, she leaned in close. "There's something wrong about this place," she whispered. "If you feel _anything _out of the ordinary, you have to tell me – don't let it take a hold."

Miranda nodded fervently and Tysin, slightly more encouraged, led her into their safehouse for the evening. Trailing behind her, Miranda tried to make out what was going on inside of herself. It wasn't as if something had taken over her; no, she still had control. She hadn't been forced to lie – it was more like she had been _persuaded _to.

Her thoughts instantly raced back to the cave, then to the Holocron. It seemed odd that it had been left _there_, in a _cave_. And the robes. If that man – Jecov Svarrid – if he died in that cave, why were his robes folded? And the lightsaber. There was no explaining _that_; it definitely didn't belong. The whole situation seemed too convenient.

She determined that later that night, once the others were asleep, she'd go back and search through the Holocron again and try to get some answers.

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Miranda walked down the corridor, trying to find her way back to the cave. She stopped, realizing that this place was unknown to her as she scanned the dark area. The only light in the entire place was coming from her glowstick, which brightened little more than her immediate surroundings. How had she gotten lost?

As she walked forward, she gradually started to feel death nearby, the stench of it overwhelming. She sniffed a faint trace of smoke, and the combination of smells made her suddenly dizzy.

She desperately tried to remember the way back to the cave, and as she walked she stumbled over a rock. A closer examination revealed that it wasn't a rock at all – it was a body. A _corpse_, in fact. She leaned in for a closer look, but could make out nothing more than a man's features, middle-aged and dressed in civilian clothes. She tried to extend her sense, but something was shielding her. That wasn't right. She could sense something dark, for sure, and whatever or whoever it was, it was getting closer.

She reached down to her lightsaber hilt and gripped it, the cool metal soothing her. With increased confidence she pressed forward, but soon began to sense the faint beat of another unfamiliar presence. Again she reached out with the Force, but she was shielded – and much stronger this time. She immediately began searching around for a wall to pin herself against - so that she could at least have some protection behind her, and not to mention a sense of direction – but she found none. The room seemed to be very large; she _definitely _had not been in here before. Abruptly, the familiar click-hiss of a lightsaber coming to life sounded behind her. Whirling around, she met the glow of a red lightsaber cutting down through the air towards her head, only to be parried by her own silver blade.

In the split second that followed, Miranda stole a quick glance at her attacker. He, or she, was covered head-to-toe in a dark, hooded robe, and the only feature she could make out was a set of malicious gray eyes glaring out at her.

Miranda jumped backwards, trying to gain a feel for her surroundings. She waited, gripping her lightsaber with both hands, while using the Force to try and read her opponent. Oddly, she didn't sense any movement that her attacker was going to make – could her precognition be failing her?

"Miranda."

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Miranda awoke with a start from her dream. She hastily scanned the room around her, heart pounding and her creased brow damp with sweat. Momentarily realizing that it _was _just a dream, she breathed a sigh of relief and laid back down on her survival cot. Beside her, Tysin shifted silently in her cot, and she could hear Cale breathing loudly across the room. _Just a dream_, she reminded herself.

She sat up, knowing that sleep would be impossible now. As quietly as she could, she rolled sleepily out of her cot and shivered – it was cold. She dug mechanically in her survival pack for her robe, but remembered moments later that she had given up traditional jedi garb long ago. She chided herself silently for her foolishness and, making sure that she had her lightsaber, silently left the room.


	8. Chapter 8

The idea of searching for the cave again was lost to Miranda; she needed to meditate, clear her mind, focus her energy. She sluggishly worked her way towards the outer circle, her mind whirring with a thousand thoughts and questions. Once she reached her destination she sat down, cross-legged on the cool, damp grass. This was the first chance she'd had to meditate on her own – which was the _only _way she could do it - and she was grateful for it. During her younger years in the crèche, her instructors told her this was abnormal. Jedi must rely on each other; they gain strength and comfort through group meditation, they said.

For Miranda, however, meditation just didn't work that way. She found herself distracted by the presence of others, and required the still, serene silence that could only be provided by solitude. Fortunately, her master understood this and didn't try to force a joint-meditation on her - as was common practice among master-padawan teams – and instead designated periods during which they both would meditate in separate rooms. She loved that about Tysin – she was the only other Jedi who really understood her needs, and she readily accommodated for them without making a fuss about it.

Miranda shifted on the ground, trying to clear her mind. She had had a long, eventful, confusing and stressful day, and she needed to collect herself. She focused on letting go, on centering her thoughts. She failed. A few minutes into the meditation her concentration slipped, her thoughts drifting to the strange dream she had earlier. The image of the cloaked figure and the sound of her name being called flashed through her mind. She opened her eyes, took a deep breath, tucked her hair behind her ears and, squeezing her eyes shut, began the meditation again.

Miranda focused once again on relaxing her mind. She regulated her breaths and straightened her posture, the tension in her muscles gradually lessening as her breathing slowed. Once again, a couple minutes into the routine, her mind raced back to the dream.

Miranda slammed her fists on her legs in frustration. "Force!" she cursed, trying to shake the thoughts. But this time, she realized she wouldn't be able to. _Maybe it was more than a dream_, she ventured, leaning against an ancient tree stump in the center of the courtyard. _Maybe it was a vision_. She shook her head at her own foolishness. _Or maybe I just had a nightmare and am being completely childish and nonsensical about the whole thing._

She sighed heavily, realizing in frustration that she was now unable to either sleep _or _meditate, and there was a good four hours before the sun would even _consider_ rising.

A kind voice interrupted her thoughts. "What troubles you, my child?" Miranda glanced up to see the figure of an old woman, slightly limping, emerging from a dark corridor and exposing herself in the moonlight.

Miranda, not bothering to reply, was standing instantly. Her hand hovered instinctively over her lightsaber, but she let it fall to her side after a moment of deliberation; it was just an old woman, after all.

"Couldn't sleep?" The woman stopped a few meters short of the younger girl. Miranda flinched, realizing that she recognized the voice. She peered at the stranger through the darkness, but the only noticeable thing about her was the tattered robe she wore.

"Miranda?" the woman ventured, taking another step forward.

Miranda's eyes widened as she finally recognized the voice from not only her dream, but from earlier in the courtyard as well. So it _hadn't _just been her imagination!

"How do you know me?" Miranda snapped, her hand twitching.

"I don't, child," came the reply.

Miranda relented, allowing her hand to grasp the soothing cool that was her lightsaber hilt. "Tell me now!" she demanded, her face contorted in a mesh of disturbed confusion.

The woman let out a quick chuckle. "I know your name, Miranda, simply because I heard your master call you it."

Miranda's mind instantly raced back through the conversations she had with her master upon entering the ruins. She couldn't think of any reason why her master wouldn't have at least mentioned her name once, and she tiredly realized she couldn't refute the claim.

"What do you want? Why are you here? Who are you?"

"You may call me Nyx," she replied calmly. "This place is my home."

A look of doubt spread across her face. "You live here?"

"I did not say that," Nyx retorted. "I live wherever I am at the moment."

Miranda arched an eyebrow, but decided to let that one go. If the cryptic old lady wanted to play word games, she wouldn't argue. "You still haven't answered my other question," she replied, tactfully changing the subject.

"I am curious, child," Nyx explained politely, slowly bending over. She discreetly picked a small stone up from the ground, the gesture hidden by her draping robe.

Before Miranda had a chance to ask 'curious of what?' her precognition took control. Just as the older woman started to lift her arm, Miranda jumped to the side. Nyx threw the stone – with surprising force – towards her target, but by the time the projectile left her fingers Miranda was safely out of the way.

"You're delusional!" Miranda shouted at the woman, a bewildered snarl forming on her face.

Nyx simply grinned, pushing back her hood to reveal a world-weary complexion, a surprising number of wrinkles, and long grey hair that was braided throughout. "I am curious no more."

The blonde merely stared at the older woman in puzzled amazement, unable to speak.

"Battle precognition is a rare skill to find these days," Nyx continued, picking absently at a loose thread on her robe.

Miranda, taken aback, positioned herself deliberately beside a half-standing pillar – in case the woman decided to attack again. "How do you know about that?"

"It allows one to sense the flows of the force in another being, specifically, an attacker."

"What do you know of the Force?" She asked cautiously. Something wasn't right here.

"You have a unique gift, Miranda," the woman said, ignoring the younger girl's question. "But you are not grasping its full potential."

Miranda snorted. What was with this quirky old lady? "And _you _can?" She let out a quick, incredulous laugh.

Nyx ingored the young woman's insult. She walked closer to Miranda, who held her ground, and stopped less than a meter away. "Hit me," she said.

"What?" Miranda scoffed. There was no way this lady was serious.

"Attempt to punch me."

Miranda blinked, realizing that Nyx _was _serious. "I don't want to hurt-"

"You will not injure me," Nyx interrupted impatiently. "Now _hit _me!"

Miranda threw a soft punch in the direction of the older woman's face. Before she knew what had happened, however, her face – along with the rest of her body – was smothered in the dirt and Nyx had a knee buried in a sensitive part of her back, the exact place where she had been grazed by a blaster shot two years earlier.

Mira yelped in surprise and used the Force to push the older woman away. Urgently scrambling to her feet she spun around, jaw agape. "How did you do that? How did you know?" She panted, using one hand to rub the small of her back that was now throbbing.

"An advanced form of your 'precognition,'" Nyx answered modestly. "It draws not only from the force but from one's own instincts and emotions. Combine that with the application of _shatterpoints_, and I can not only read your attacks but also your flaws."

"_Shatterpoints?_" Miranda had never heard of those before…

"A rare Force phenomenon," Nyx replied. "It allows you to sense the weak spots – or fractures – in a structure or an opponent, and sometimes, it grants the user the ability to see the past wounds of an opponent and re-open them. Available only to those with an innate sense of precognition – which _you _have."

"How do I find them?" She was captivated now – she _had _to learn this skill.

Nyx laughed. "It is a skill that not many know of; in the earliest days of the Old Republic, however, they were used often by those following the New Way."

"I've heard of that," Miranda started, but she was again interrupted.

"I know, child. You found the Holocron – I placed it there-"

"_You _placed it there?" Miranda snorted in disbelief.

'Insubordinate, importunate girl!" the woman exploded, her grey eyes glowing. "Do not interrupt me again!" Miranda's brow furrowed together and she scowled, but said nothing. "As I was saying, I placed the Holocron there so you, and _only _you, would find it. It has been my teacher, my guide for decades – and it can be yours, too. The information contained within this Holocron is not for everyone, however. It has been destined for those select few, chosen by the Force; it has chosen you. Contained within this relic is the key to knowledge that has been long lost to the Jedi community for centuries. But it can once again all be revealed inside of you."

Miranda stiffened. Something was _definitely _wrong here. Force techniques that the Jedi didn't use had been banned for a reason; but the idea of shatterpoints was intoxicating, and it didn't seem as if there was anything wrong with using that technique…so why was it unknown to her? Miranda tried to gain control of herself, tried to be reasonable. She sensed something working inside her…something obscure and mysterious but _entrancing _at the same time. It was the Force, to be certain, but whether it was destined to harm or help her she couldn't see.

"Do you wish to learn the secrets of the ancients?" Nyx asked, pulling her hood back over her head.

What was with this lady and her cryptic sayings? "_You _could teach me shatterpoints?"

"No. I will reveal to you all that is contained within the Holocron – only after you have learned _that_ will you understand the technique behind these techniques. If I teach you, you must agree to learn everything that I teach you, without question. That is the only way."

"But my master-"

"She must know nothing of this."

"We're planning on leaving soon-"

"I will take care of all the variables, child. Clear your mind of any doubts or obstructions and focus only on this: do you want to learn the lost knowledge?"

Miranda tried to think rationally. She knew should have signaled her master on her comm long ago…why hadn't she? She should have locked this woman in binders the moment she tossed that stone…what stopped her? She knew she shouldn't have even _considered _Nyx's offer…so why was she eager to accept it? But what could a little more knowledge do? It certainly couldn't harm her. Besides, it would give her even more of an edge in battle – there was no way she could turn down an offer that promised _that_.

Nyx, sensing that she had won the young woman over, smiled beneath her hood. "Come, Miranda. We have a few hours before daylight. Let us begin."


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry about the unusual delay with this one, I've been busy with other frivolous things like college and what-not. But I'll stop blabbing and let you get to it :)

**Chapter 9**

Miranda sat in the center of the courtyard, hands folded and legs crossed. She watched as the sun slowly poked out from the horizon, casting long shadows through the enclosure. The last agonizing three hours had been spent listening to the hologram and Nyx's lectures, trying to remember exactly what had been said, and meditating. Her mind focused on the single, endless refrain that Nyx had spent hours drilling into her:

_Peace is a lie. There is only passion._

_This is the first Tenet of the New Way; learn it, embrace it, live it._

_The Tenets will lead you to the true power, the true heart, of the Force._

_A follower of the New Way must be a seeker of knowledge, a challenger of old and stagnant practices, in touch with the laws of nature and the truth around it._

_Passion is what keeps all creatures – from the most rudimentary to the most evolved – alive._

_A mastery of passion will unlock strength that you have never known before._

_Know your own passion and feed off of it, and you will be able to read the feelings of anyone around you – this will give you knowledge that is limitless._

Nyx had ordered Miranda to repeat the creed aloud, and when she skipped a word or couldn't remember what came next, a powerful Force-push swept her off her feet and slammed her to the ground. Despite her best efforts, however, Nyx always manage to find the smallest fault.

Miranda just gritted her teeth and did as she was told, not out of a genuine concern for or curiosity of the 'New Way,' but for the simple reason that it would _somehow _increase her abilities in precognition. The masters at the Temple told her they had taught her all that they knew about the art of battle precognition – so either they were lying, or they weren't aware of the true capabilities of someone who wielded that power. If Nyx had truly stumbled across knowledge that even the Temple _masters _were ignorant of, it had to be something unorthodox, something extraordinary. Miranda was determined to unlock the secrets behind it, and that meant playing along with the old woman for as long as it took.

Nyx of course realized this, and she smiled wickedly from the shadows as she watched her new pupil. She knew that the girl thought her a fool, and that Miranda was simply using her as a tool to learn the art of battle precognition more thoroughly. What Miranda failed to realize, though, was that the teachings were already beginning to take hold. This was exactly what Nyx wanted: the more she forced the girl to rely on her passion – even if she was simply doing it to play along – the more she would _need _to rely on it. The more the girl resisted _her_, the less she would resist her own emotions. And the farther she fell down that hole, Nyx thought, the more impossible it would be to climb back out again.

* * *

"Ah, Mira, there you are," Tysin said, walking briskly into the courtyard.

Miranda stood up, squinting in the bright morning sunlight. "Yes, I couldn't sleep." Hoping to avoid a lecture, she didn't bother mentioning that her attempts at meditating had also been sorely ineffective.

"I know. Collect your gear, because we're leaving."

"What?" Miranda realized the surprise in her voice too late, and she snapped her mouth shut and bit her tongue.

Tysin cocked her head to one side. "Is there a problem?"

"No, Master-I just…We haven't completed the mission."

Tysin smiled sympathetically – almost _sweetly _- at her apprentice. "I know it bothers you to leave a mission unaccomplished," she said. "But," she continued, her voice getting grave, "I don't like this place. I'm familiar with dealing with the dark side of the force, but this…this is something on a whole new level. This is something I don't recognize."

"So we're giving up?" Mira placed her hands on her slender hips, suddenly realizing how exhausted she was from a sleepless night.

Tysin's expression softened. "I can't protect you from the danger here; I'm not even sure what it is. Cale agrees."

Miranda rolled her eyes. "Oh, good. As long as _Cale _agrees. Why didn't you mention that earlier?"

Miranda half-expected Tysin to rebuke her, but she just laughed instead. Wrapping one arm around her padawan's shoulders, she led her back to their shelter. "One of these days, either your sarcasm or your wit is going to get you in deep."

"Trouble?" Miranda asked with a giggle. "Good thing I've got you to keep me out of it then, huh?"

Tysin let out another laugh, and Miranda raised her eyebrows and cast a sidelong glance at her. She seemed especially jovial this morning – and Tysin was _not _a morning person. Whatever the case, her master's good mood positively affected hers, also, and she wrapped an arm around her back. "Ohh no," Tysin retorted, squeezing her shoulders affectionately. "I'm going to sit back and laugh."

Mira gasped in mild horror and shoved her playfully away, to which Tysin responded with a soft Force-push, sending Mira stumbling backwards – right into Deakin.

Deakin grinned and helped to stabilize his female companion. "Still tripping when there's nothing to trip on, I see," he teased. "Just like when we younglings."

Tysin brushed past them both and into their overnight-accommodation. "Really Miranda, you must be more aware," she chided with an evil look. She went inside the room to gather her survival gear, leaving the two apprentices in the hall.

Miranda, a look of shock on her face, didn't know what to say. Deakin wiped the grin off his face when he realized that his arms were still wrapped around her waist. Embarrassed, he quickly released her. She lifted one eyebrow at him, leaned in dangerously close, and whispered in his ear, their faces so close that his stubble brushed against her skin. "It seems you're more willing to catch me than you were back then," she said with a smirk. "So thanks."

Deakin gulped. He was used to female attention, sure, but not of _this _nature. Besides, she was only teasing him, right? A quick "my pleasure" was all he could manage to stammer out before she slid past him and into the chamber.

* * *

Nyx stepped over the ashes of a small fire and examined a series of runes carved into the wall with her fingers. This _had_ been the Jedi's hideout, but they were long gone by now. They left sooner than she had expected, but that was no matter. Their departure from Dantooine would be delayed for as long as she chose.

She pulled a pyramidal device from her cloak. Running her fingers over the buttons, she eventually stabbed at one, and a spirit-like figure rose from the device. Silver-blue light radiated across the walls of the ruins as a woman's face took shape. "The time has come, my child," Nyx said.

The hologram distorted as the woman snarled. "So soon?"

"I told you to be prepared. Are you not?"

"No, no," the woman stuttered, "I will destroy the ship right now."

"Destroy _all_ of them."

Surprise overcame the woman's face, and it looked as if she was considering questioning her orders but wisely decided otherwise. She nodded curtly. "As you wish."

The pyramid snapped shut, and the figure dissipated.

_Miranda, _the old woman called. _Come to me. Join us, and live._


	10. Chapter 10

_Come to me. Join us, and live._

Miranda tightened her grip on her lightsaber as she followed a step behind Deakin. The masters were up front, a few meters ahead, leading the group at a brisk pace.

"You okay?" he asked, turning to look at her. A flicker of annoyance passed across her face. She really hated that he was picking up on her distress. It wasn't like she was broadcasting it.

"I'm fine," she snapped, biting her lip after Deakin turned back around. _Cool it, Miranda, _she told herself. _This isn't his fault. _"Deakin?" she asked hesitantly. He had turned his head slightly and she could feel him staring at her, an anxious expression on his face.

"Yes?" His voice was soft, gentle.

_Just say it._

"I'm sorry."

She saw his lips quirk in a wry grin, and he slowed his pace, waiting for her to catch up. "Don't worry about it."

Miranda offered an apologetic smile in reply. "So you're hoping to be knighted soon," she ventured, hoping that he wasn't upset about her previous eavesdropping.

"I hope," he replied, adjusting his utility belt. "I've been preparing for the trials for at least six months, but the last time Cale brought it up to the Council they disagreed."

"Well I think you're ready," Mira huffed, a sudden defensiveness to her tone.

He gave her a sidelong, disbelieving glance.

"No, _really_," she continued, moving closer to him. "You're the best apprentice in the Temple, and that's not just my opinion – that's fact. If anybody's ready for the trials, Deakin, it's _you_."

Deakin offered a small smile and looked down at his feet. "I used to feel that way," he said, his voice quiet. "But the way this mission is going…" he trailed off. "That doesn't matter. What's important is that I've faced things that I haven't been able to conquer; I'm not so sure if I'm ready."

"Like what?" Miranda replied incredulously. Deakin was strong – much stronger than her. He was wise and intelligent, incredibly athletic and extraordinarily strong in the Force. She was hardly able to believe that Deakin had come across obstacles that he couldn't pass.

He looked up, and his gaze locked with hers. "It's nothing." He broke his eyes from hers, and something about his presence stiffened. "We're almost there," he said, taking his place in front of her again. "See that ridge?"

Miranda followed his finger, which pointed at a line of walls at the end of a cliff. "I remember it," was all she said. She was suddenly aware of the intensity of the midday sun on her back and shoulders, and she quickened her pace, eager to tackle the last obstacle.

* * *

Deakin held his arms out for balance as he carefully made his way down the craggy surface of the ridge. The group was making their way down what had once been a set of stairs, but now existed as little more than a treacherous indent in the canyon wall. In front of him, Miranda was navigating the steps with relative ease, to his mild annoyance. She was certainly graceful, and for a split moment he allowed himself to wonder what other areas that skill might affect-

"Be careful," Tysin warned Miranda from behind. Deakin grappled for the last moments of his daydream. The thought was warm, but it was colored by something that he couldn't quite name. Then he flinched. It was attraction.

Deakin stumbled, but recovered instantly. _Attracted? To Miranda? The events from the mission have me unsettled; I'm misinterpreting my emotions._

"I am," Miranda replied crossly, turning to look behind her.

Deakin stopped. She had one hand on the canyon wall, and several loose strands of hair had fallen across her face. The wind ruffled the edges of her shirt and blew her hair to one side. She readjusted the survival pack on her shoulders and looked up into Deakin's eyes.

For one second, he forgot how to breathe.

Miranda seemed to have noticed, and her eyebrows twitched when he didn't look away. Before either of them could say anything, however, a howl echoed off the canyon walls. Then, moments later, a blast nearby shook the walls and a plume of smoke billowed up into the air just beyond the last ridge. The Jedi all exchanged quick, worried glances.

Miranda rushed down the remainder of the cliff-side, well ahead of her counterparts. She didn't know why, but she knew that whatever had just happened was somehow related to Nyx. She could feel it. She sprinted across the last open expanse of grassy plain, and bounded up the side of the canyon wall with extreme agility. Tysin, Cale, and Deakin were now running after her, but she was quick and determined, and had ascended to the top of the cliff before the others had even reached its base.

What she saw before he made her gasp. Port Matale was in a blaze, the entire settlement a smoking mess. A hundred people were running around frantically, some trying to escape, others trying to extinguish the fires that had caught on to several buildings. The stench of the smoke was horrendous, and it was even harder to see through. She looked farther on and noticed the cause of the chaos: every single ship in the docking bay was completely destroyed – blown to pieces. Including theirs. So _that _was how Nyx had planned to delay their departure – she _destroyed _their transport. Force, she destroyed _everybody's _transport.

Without thinking, Miranda instantly rushed down the side of the ridge, skidding down the hill on her heels. A deep dread set in as she realized that this chaos had happened because of her. Because of Nyx. _That _thought made her angrier than the previous, and as soon as she reached the ground she dropped her survival pack and sprinted to help douse the fires.

The process was primitive, with people passing buckets of water along a chain and tossing them futilely on buildings that were obviously done for. But it didn't matter; this was her fault, all her fault…what had she done? _Selfish, stupid girl_.

By the time the other Jedi reached the port most people had given up. They sat back and watched as their businesses, their houses, their _everything _burned to the ground. Miranda felt a sharp pang in her heart as a few children began to wail. And when the thought finally occurred to her that some people may have actually _died_, she gritted her teeth, forced back tears, and worked even harder, now helping families who were trying to save their remaining belongings from the blaze.

She was stopped by Tysin, who wore a weary and hardened look. "This is not our job-"

"Yes it is!" Miranda fired back, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the heel of her palm, but leaving a black smudge in its place.

Tysin leaned in close. "The best way for us to help these people is to find out who did this and catch them before they escape, if they haven't already."

_But I know who did it_, Miranda thought grimly. _And this is my entire fault. If I wouldn't have agreed to her nonsense…_Miranda forced herself to stop. This was not the time to be dealing in "what-if's." This was a time for action. This was a time to tell her master the truth about everything. This was a time to stop Nyx before anything else horrible happened.

The group of Jedi worked their way through the smoke to an assembly of Port Matale Security Officers, huddled in front of the shipyard wreckage.

"What happened here?" Cale asked as they approached the group.

One of the Officers, a tall, dark human female snorted. "What the blazes does it look like happened?" She laughed out loud and waved her arm dramatically through the air. "Crinking Jedi, marching in here, crinkin' think they own the blasted place, for star's sake…"

"That's enough, Talis," one of the other Officers said. He was shorter than his counterpart, but his stockiness more than made up for it. He motioned the group of Jedi aside, the arrogance in his walk affording him an air of authority. "I'm sorry about her. We're all a bit shaken-up. But you're assistance won't be needed, as grateful as we are for the offer."

"We can be of great aid," Tysin replied.

"You don't understand," the man said, exasperated. His uniform was torn in several places, and scorch marks and dirt smudges made it look like it belonged on some Kessel slave, not a SecOff. "We caught the guy." He motioned to a landspeeder parked some distance away. Three SecOffs were struggling to wrestle a bound and writhing woman into the back seat; they didn't seem to be making much progress.

"_She _did _this_?" Miranda asked incredulously. She hadn't expected Nyx to be working with someone else, but then again, it was foolish of her to assume anything about that mysterious old lady. As soon as she had said the words, the perpetrator stopped squirming and looked directly at Miranda. Even through the smoke they made a moment's eye contact, and she thought she saw the other woman smile. Glancing nervously at her master, she exhaled a breath - that she hadn't recognized she'd been holding - when she realized that Tysin hadn't noticed the motion.

"Do you have any idea why she did this?" Deakin questioned.

"Not at this time-"

"We're _Jedi_," he reminded, crossing his arms and looking down at the smaller man. "We are here to help. You'd better tell us everything you know."

For a moment Miranda allowed herself to be impressed with Deakin's very successful intimidation of the officer, but she quickly shook off the feeling, wondering where it had come from. The Officer sighed and rubbed a hand over his bare scalp. "She's a serial arsonist," he relented. "Wanted on seven different planets for things like this; we just ran her file. Case closed."

Mira stepped back, stunned. This certainly didn't add up. "Can we speak with her?"

"I'm afraid not-"

"I'm sorry," Miranda retorted, "I don't know if you noticed, but our ship, just _exploded_."

"And my crinking _town _is on fire!"

Tysin subtly nudged her padawan in foot with her heel. _"He's not going to cooperate, and it would be best if we didn't exasperate this man any further."_

Miranda exhaled in response. Once again, she found herself with more questions than she knew how to answer, and a doubt as to whether Nyx had actually staged this event or not. The situation was now too deep, too _complicated_, for her to possibly try to explain to her master. She would figure this out on her own.

* * *

hey everyone! thanks for reading and for all the reviews and faves and alerts and what-not! Please continue to let me know what you think :)


	11. Chapter 11

I know its been a while since I've updated, but schoolwork and my other story "She Held My Hand" have been taking up most of my time. There's not a whole lot in the way of plot progression here, I know, but I'm trying to get the relationships moving along. So, like always, tell me what you think!

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"Let's run through our options again." Tysin leaned back in her chair, her feet resting neatly on the short table in front of her. Curled up on the couch adjacent to her was Miranda, a pillow held firmly against her chest. Deakin sat beside her on the sofa, his elbow on the armrest and palm supporting his head, which seemed to be getting heavier and heavier by the minute. Cale, deliberately positioned in the center of the room, was the only one standing.

They had managed to rent a room in the already crowded lodging, which had surprisingly been unharmed by the catastrophe. That was certainly convenient, Miranda mused; a little _too _convenient.

"The satellite that signals to the orbital relay is destroyed, so there's no way that we can try to contact the Temple for assistance. It will take at least three weeks for a fix, and that's at best." Cale pursed his lips and finally conceded to take a seat. "The nearest settlement is a two-day speeder ride, granted that anyone would let us rent a speeder, and if we did that would exhaust our credits."

"I don't like either of those options," Tysin growled.

"We could ask the Hutts for help," Cale ventured. At the mention of the Hutts, Miranda's eyes – which had previously been in the process of closing – opened wide.

"Too risky." Tysin _really_ did not want to deal with the Hutts. They were treacherous, conniving, greedy creatures that couldn't be trusted farther than they could be thrown. And anyone actually capable of throwing a Hutt would probably never need its help. Tysin had only dealt with them once before, on a mission with her master years ago, and it had not been a pleasant one. Fortunately, she and Miranda had been lucky enough to avoid them during their years together; she really hoped that now was not the time to break that record.

"That seems to be our most logical choice, at the moment," Cale continued. "They're only within a few hours' walking distance from here, I was told."

"_Only_?" Miranda and Deakin huffed in tandem. It almost sounded rehearsed, but the look they gave each other afterwards proved just the opposite.

Tysin sighed. "I'd hoped to avoid that option, but it seems like we have no other choice." She took a bite out of the muja fruit she had been spinning in her hand and chewed thoughtfully. "We'll set out tomorrow, then."

Deakin set out for the bedroom, Cale to the shower; as soon as they were gone, Miranda let out a sharp exhale. "Spectacular."

Tysin shot her a weary warning glance and rubbed at her temple. "We're both frustrated. I think a soft bed and some sleep would do us both good." Tysin leaned back in her chair chair and motioned Miranda towards the bedroom with her chin. "I'm not waiting until the morning for a chance to shower. Cale shouldn't be too long. Go get some sleep."

Miranda nodded and sluggishly headed towards the bedroom. She had showered earlier, and even though she felt refreshed, the warm water had made her drowsy. She heaved a sigh as she manually slid the door open, stifling a gasp as she entered the room. Deakin was occupying the bed in the far corner of the room, but he wasn't sleeping. He was seated neatly atop his bed, legs crossed, leaning lightly against the headboard.

"Deakin? You're awake?"

"Of course," Deakin replied in an eerily placid tone, not turning to look at her. "Jedi must always be on their guard."

"Jedi must also get some sleep," she shot back, delicately sitting at the foot of his bed. "Go on," she urged, nudging him in the leg. "I'll keep the first watch."

He eyed her skeptically, then blinked in surprise when he realized she was absently playing with the fabric on his pant leg. He thought about moving his hand to stop hers, but didn't. He didn't _want _to.

"You know," Miranda started, spreading herself out on the bed, "When you're knighted you should stick around the Temple more."

"What?"

"All that constant travel you do – it's unhealthy," she explained seriously.

Deakin's quizzical expression morphed into one of amusement. "Is that right?"

"Studies have shown."

Deakin chuckled, a low, masculine sound that reminded Miranda how much they had both matured during their years without contact. The last she had seen him at the Temple he was still a boy, unnaturally tall and skinny, slightly clumsy, just starting to show signs of facial hair. Now, looking at him, he seemed like a completely different person – at least in physical appearance. He had filled out his body, replacing his once bony frame with solid muscle. His shoulders were broad and defined from years of saber practice, and even the loose Jedi garments couldn't hide the toned muscle of his arms or the ridges on his chest. Deakin's hair was cut short and practical, and what facial hair he had was left deliberately. His features, to Miranda, still held their former gentleness, except now they were coupled with a firmness that years of experience with grim reality had awarded him. It had happened. He was a man.

"I think you just missed me."

Miranda chewed on the inside of her lip to stop herself from biting on _that _declaration without thinking. It surprised her again how easily they had fallen back into step in their relationship, as if they had just seen each other last week. After a moment's deliberation, she confessed, "I haven't had a decent lunch partner in _years_. I've stopped eating because of you."

"Because of _me_?" Deakin grinned wickedly and pressed a hand to his chest with dramatic innocence.

Sitting up, she punched him in the arm, then proceeded to cross her legs and glare at him, suddenly serious. "You're the best friend I've got – you don't need me to tell you that. You understand me; you respect me for who I am, flaws and all. Don't you _ever _let us go that long without seeing each other – now that you'll be able to help it soon, that is." She absently rubbed at her wrist, only now realizing that it had been scorched earlier during her efforts to stop the fire.

Deakin instantly noticed the gesture, and immediately reached down for his survival pack, scooping up a handful of medical supplies. "Let me," he said, holding out a bacta patch.

"It's no big deal," she replied, clutching her arm to her side.

Deakin sighed. "It's an _open _wound, Mira. We're on a remote planet, and you don't know what kinds of bacteria are floating around this place. You don't want it to get infected."

Reluctantly, Miranda extended her wounded arm towards him, and he grabbed it before she had a chance to change her mind. "Now," Deakin started, soaking the patch in some kind of liquid, "this might sting a little."

A yelp escaped from the blonde's lips, and Tysin rushed in to find Deakin standing over her apprentice, an open med-kit spread across the bed. The boy instantly swiveled around. "It's all right," Deakin managed to say over Miranda's yelps. "Just a minor burn."

"_Minor?_" Miranda hissed through clenched teeth.

Deakin ignored her and grinned at Tysin. "She'll be fine."

Tysin nodded once, sharply, and left the room before either apprentice could see the smile spreading across her face. "Don't overreact, Miranda," she yelled teasingly as the door slid shut behind her.

Miranda, face contorted in a blend of exasperation and discomfort, scowled. "_Overreact?_"

Deakin, still grinning, proceeded to bandage her wrist, eliciting yet another fierce hiss from his patient. "Let's not be dramatic," he sighed.

At that remark, Miranda tore her hand away and retreated all the way to the opposite side of the room. "You made it hurt worse than it did before," she complained, sliding into the bed and pulling the covers up to her chin. Using the Force to suddenly shut off the lights, she grinned wickedly as she heard Deakin stumble and what were probably the contents of his med-kit spill onto the floor.

"That's not funny," he moaned, fumbling in the darkness for the light panel. "My entire med-kit just spread itself across the room."

Miranda, nestled cozily under the pile of covers, giggled. "Who's being dramatic now?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The fire had level a dozen homes, businesses, restaurants – practically everything. The remains of buildings closest to the port were hit the hardest, and nothing was left in their place save for ash and crumbled debris. Scorched speeders and swoop bikes lay on the street curbs in piles of ash. Citizens of the Matale Settlement wandered aimlessly, their faces dejected, disbelieving. Some picked through the remnants of their homes, rummaging for whatever possessions they had left.

A few officers guarded the perimeter of the port, where a team of investigators was tagging the site. Nearby, a few emergency vehicles were stationed. Two body bags had been carried from the port and recklessly thrown inside the back of an ambulance. At least, that was how many Miranda had seen since she'd been standing there; they probably had found some earlier, and it was likely that they would discover a few more charred bodies later in the investigation. That number kept ringing through her head. Two. _Two. _Two people were dead because of her.

_No_, she thought, squeezing her eyes shut, _I can't think that way. Nyx is not capable of something like this; there's no way she would have done all this just to strand me here_.

She forced herself to leave the scene – there was no use just standing there, looking helpless. She had to find _something _to do. She set off for the part of the town that hadn't been destroyed, which included the lodging, a small café, and a few run-down shops.

Tysin and Cale had set off early in the morning for the Hutt settlement. To Miranda's relief, Tysin suggested that only she and Cale go; she'd said that it would be unwise to overwhelm the Hutts with too large a group. At this, Miranda smiled inwardly. She had thought for certain that her master would have wanted her to accompany them, but Tysin could always manage to surprise her.

Why Tysin thought Deakin needed to stay with her, however, thoroughly puzzled Miranda. She was old enough to manage on her own. Did her master not trust her? Or did Tysin simply want Deakin to keep tabs on her?

_Okay, enough, Miranda. Force, I'm starting to sound paranoid._

"Mira."

"Deak," she replied, turning to face the man who was approaching her. "Any news?"

He stopped short of her and shook his head, his eyes scanning her face. "Not yet. But I think you may have been on to something back at the Enclave."

Miranda blinked, making a conscientious effort to keep her features calm and composed. "How so?"

"When you said you felt a presence. I've been chatting with some of the locals, and a few of them are dead certain that there's an old lady who actually _lives _down there."

Miranda's eyes widened. "What?" she asked, nearly choking.

"Well, maybe she knows where the holocron is."

Miranda struggled from screaming 'Of _course_ she knows where it is! She _put _it there!' and instead tried her best at a haughty laugh. "That's ridiculous, Deak."

"I think we should explore all possibilities-"

"I disagree," Miranda fired back, her eyes glowing. "Finding some old holocron - that probably doesn't even exist – isn't our mission anymore; finding a way back home _is_."

Deakin held up his hands in the universal signal of surrender. "Excuse me," he replied.

"I'm sorry," she said after a minute, suddenly remembering that Deakin's chance for Knighthood was on the line. "I didn't mean to be rude; I'm just anxious to get back to the Temple." She offered a small, apologetic smile that he readily returned.

_/Miranda/_

Miranda stopped walking. She didn't bother to look around this time; it was futile to try searching for the old woman. Nyx would appear when she wanted to; and when she did, she had a _lot _of explaining to do.

_But first I've got to get rid of Deakin._ "I think I'm going to find some place to meditate," she said hurriedly, walking away from him.

"I'll contact you if I hear anything," Deakin called after her. He wasn't offended – every Jedi needed moments of solitary meditation. In fact, he could use some himself.

* * *

A lone bead of sweat rolled down Miranda's temple, slowly making its way towards her cheek, then her jaw, until it dropped silently to her pant leg. The afternoon Dantooine sun was extremely intense, even when she was under the shade of a massive tree. She had been waiting under that tree for hours, meditating, thinking, and even dozing off every now and then. And still, there had been no sign of Nyx.

She had wandered outside of the Matale Settlement for about ten minutes when she came across this small grove, and it seemed as good a place as any to wait for her visitor while still remaining out of sight.

A chime on her commlink made her start. "Helo."

"Miranda, it's me." Tysin. "We've just come to an agreement with the Hutts."

Miranda, her interest suddenly peaked, stood up. "What is it?"

"They have a single freighter – goods transport class – scheduled for departure soon. It's going to be making a few stops on core planets, including Coruscant. We've paid them everything we had in credits, and in exchange they're allowing one of us passage to Coruscant."

"Just one?"

"I'm afraid so." Miranda could hear the stiffness in her Master's voice even through the static. "Cale suggested that I go. With all the stops this transport is making, though, it could take over a week to finally reach Coruscant. But when I do, I'm getting a Cruiser and coming to get you as soon as I can."

Miranda was silent. She didn't like this situation _at all_. "Miranda?" Tysin's voice had softened. "I know you can manage without me."

"Without you, yes. But _with _Master DelZol – I'm not so sure."

Miranda heard the faintest sound of a sigh carry through the comm. "I'll see you soon."  
The blonde managed to force out a "Have a safe trip, Master," before the signal clicked dead. She leaned against the tree and slid down it, sighing in frustration as she did so. The thought of being stranded on this dump for close to two weeks did not appeal to her in the least. Things were definitely _not _turning out the way she had hoped, but they certainly _were _turning out.

"I told you everything would work out."

Miranda jumped up, lightsaber in hand, her eyes flickering through the twisted grove until she locked-on to her target. "You…"

Nyx approached the younger woman slowly, her flowing robe casting long shadows on the ground. "Our time together is short. We must begin your new lesson immediately."

"I don't think so," Miranda replied, her eyes narrow slits. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

Nyx stopped. "I owe you no explanation," she snapped.

"You murdered two people!"

"No," Nyx replied, scowling. "You are as much to blame in their deaths as I am. Remember that you agreed to this training, child."

_That _bombshell certainly had an effect, and Miranda struggled for composure. "What's done is done," Nyx continued, taking advantage of Miranda's silence. "Do not let their deaths be in vain."

Miranda could feel the sweat on her palms increasing, the sticky metal of her lightsaber warm against her skin. "I shouldn't even be speaking to you right now!"

Nyx stepped closer. "Yet here you are," she replied calmly. "You came because you wanted to make me pay for what happened at the Port, I know."

_How does she know that? _Miranda couldn't respond – she couldn't even open her mouth. It felt like it was sealed shut, and as hard as she tried, it wouldn't budge. In fact, her entire _body _seemed unresponsive. What was happening to her?

Again, Nyx took another step closer to the stunned girl. "The arsonist arrived here shortly after you did," she explained. "I contacted her immediately; I knew I would be in need of her….services. I told her the ship that needed to be taken care of. It seems she got a little out of hand."

"A _little_?" Miranda snarled. This was good. She had managed to gain control of her mouth. Now if she could just get the rest of her body to move…

"I wouldn't have expected any less from an arsonist."

"She destroyed an entire town!" She was pacing now – that was good. "Just…just- just get away from me! Go back to your kriffing Enclave, I'm through with you."

Underneath her hood, Nyx smiled. This was precisely the response she had been hoping to elicit. "Foolish child. Don't you understand? If you refuse my help now, the entire incident at Matale will have been for nothing. Two people died, for nothing. Countless homes and businesses burned to the ground – for nothing. Your ship destroyed – _for nothing_. It was all in vain."

Miranda bit her tongue. The older woman _did _have point. Abruptly, she detected the taste of blood in her mouth, sharp and metallic. She must have bit too hard. _Force, what am I thinking? _"Everything that you have to say is a lie."

"Is it?" Nyx closed the gap between them with surprising speed. Grabbing the collar of the younger woman, she pinned her against the tree. "Search your feelings, Miranda," she whispered. "You know that it's the truth."

With a grunt, Miranda shoved Nyx away; for an old woman, she was surprisingly strong. "I don't need any more of your advice."

At this, Nyx laughed. "Not _my _advice, girl. The advice of the ancients, of the the New Jedi – those who unlocked the secrets and true potential of the Force. And make no mistake: the Force _has _chosen you for this knowledge."

Miranda's head was telling her to walk away; to forget about Nyx and her promises. But another part of her – something that she couldn't classify – could hear the reason in Nyx's argument – it made sense. She wouldn't really let all those people have died in vain, would she? Would all the deceit have been for nothing?

Her green eyes darkened, her brow furrowed, her lips tugged into a frown. "This has gone on too long. _I'm done_." She turned to walk away, but sensing a movement behind her, rapidly scuttled around again.

"I had hoped it wouldn't come to this." Nyx leapt forward, propelling her body a distance that was impressive for anybody, a vibroblade held high above her head.

Miranda's lightsaber snapped to life and easily countered the high strike. Nyx pressed the attack, throwing surprisingly rapid strikes at her target. "You'd better defend yourself better than that," Nyx taunted. She powered forward with a tremendous combination of strikes, managing to just scrape the shoulder of her opponent.

Miranda winced and gritted her teeth as a sharp pain throbbed in her shoulder and numbness gradually worked its way down her entire left arm. It would be useless for the remainder of the fight.

"I bet even a youngling would have seen _that _coming," Nyx sneered.

That comment tossed Miranda over the edge. In a sudden, unbearable rage, Miranda took the offensive. Her lightsaber danced through the air, moving so quickly that the entire area in front of her seemed to be one big chunk of silver light. She tossed in a few high kicks and threw heavy elbows when she was close enough, not giving her opponent a chance to recover or rest. Her blade swept back and forth in a powerful, incredibly rapid assault. She was on a rampage, fighting to kill, fighting in a manner that she had never done before. She didn't think – she just moved.

Nyx parried the blows with skill, and when the time was right, she allowed her battle precognition to consume her. The tide of brawl turned instantly, and in a heartbeat Miranda found herself face-down in the dirt. The image of a boot coming straight for her face was the last thing she saw, and something about "overconfidence" the last thing she heard before the darkness took her.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The light was fading, creating long shadows and obscure patches of dark through the twisting grove. The wind had picked up, whistling and wailing around distorted tree trunks and carrying with it the sickly stench of wood rot. Miranda moved faster, ignoring the briars that caught at her pants, the damp leaves that brushed against and stained her tunic. She shivered.

Lifting her face, blotches of light and shadows twisted across her skin, warping her complexion. She raised her good arm, her fingers softly passing over a swollen black lump on her temple. Her mind suddenly raced back through the final moments of the battle. Her Jedi abilities had been overshadowed and circumvented by her almost animalistic instincts. And for the first true time, she had found the Dark Side of the Force within her. And she had touched it. That irresistible sumptuous, radiating lure. She had tasted the temptation of that power within her, its demand to be tapped and utilized. She realized all of this – and she was scared.

What was worse than anything, though, was that her precognition had failed her. The one thing that gave her an edge, the one thing that made her special…had abandoned her. At this – at _everything _- rage burned within her. She could feel it seething beneath her skin like a living thing, itching to burst out. She didn't try to push it out; she didn't have the power or the will or the patience to try. She could sleep it off, once she got back to that damned lodge. Force, it had been a long day.

And it was getting longer. As she entered town she spotted Deakin and Cale, who instantly noticed her. "Where have you been?" Cale demanded, storming up to her.

After looking around, it took her a moment to realize that he was addressing _her_. "Oh, just busy getting my ass kicked, that's all," she snapped. For the first time, the two men noticed the blood-stained tunic, ruffled hair, and black and blue spots dotting her face.

"By the Force, Miranda, what _happened_?" Deakin, unlike Cale, had an expression of genuine concern on his face.

"I got beaten up by some crazy old lady who speaks in riddles and carries a vibroblade, _that's_ what."

"This isn't a joke, you're hurt," Deakin insisted. That comment certainly made Miranda pause. She hadn't expected them to _not _believe her, especially when she was finally telling the truth.

Cale had his eyes trained on the gap in her shoulder that was crusted over with stale blood. "Looks like the work of Kath Hounds," he said, leaning in closer. "Probably a whole pack - that's how they hunt." He examined her wound carefully, then stood straight. "From now on, don't venture out too far after dark, knowing that those creatures are out there. Dangerous sort, they are."

Miranda found herself completely at a loss for words, and she couldn't help but stare at the Jedi Master. Cale's face was smug, having readily accepted his own assumption of what had happened. Deakin, on the other hand, looked skeptical, but kept his mouth shut. Cale prodded the two apprentices in the direction of the lodge, and Miranda sluggishly obeyed.

"We should take care of that," Deakin said eventually, nodding towards her shoulder and frowning in concern.

Miranda snorted in response. "That's okay, Master Healer. I'd rather not have my injuries exacerbated for the second night in a row."

* * *

Miranda pulled the covers over her head and changed positions for what had to be the fifteenth time that night. Deakin had been entering and leaving the bedroom seemingly every minute _on the minute _for the past hour. The first time, he apologized – he had forgotten to bring clean clothes before he went into the refresher. The second time was because Cale had gotten to the refresher before he could. The third time: Cale had finally finished in the refresher, and it was now his turn. The fourth agonizing time that Deakin re-entered the bedroom, the door squeaking as he opened it, he explained that he forgot his towel. The fifth time – she didn't even remember. She didn't care; all she wanted to do was sleep.

She buried her face in the plush pillow, trying to relax. But the familiar soft shuffle of Deakin's feet across the floor, heading once again towards the door, was the _last _thing she wanted to hear right now. "Force!" she moaned, tearing the covers from her head and sitting up. "What in the galaxy could you _possibly _be doing now?"

Deakin paused mid-shuffle, grinning lopsidedly. "I was just going to see if Cale knew anything about the Krayt dragon living in our bedroom," he retorted.

Miranda groaned again and rolled over, curling into a ball. "Well ask him if he knows how to make it any _quieter_."

Deakin's grin morphed into an apologetic smile, though it was lost to its intended recipient. "I'll try to keep it down," he whispered, stealing a quick glance at her slim figure huddled underneath a mound of blankets. He allowed his eyes to wander over the small portion of her back and shoulders that were exposed, his gaze lingering on a crooked scar that traced along her shoulder blade. He wondered when that had happened, how she had gotten it. His subject rustled, and he watched as she stretched out her legs, her petite, bare feet just barely dangling over the edge of the bed. As he drifted out of the room he looked back, his gaze finally coming to a rest on her smooth, sun-kissed hair, lying tranquilly on the back of her neck, perfectly serene.

But she was anything but at peace. She rolled over yet again, fully aware that the luxury of sleep would be next to impossible. She had too much on her mind. What confused her the most, out of everything that had happened, was why Nyx had decided to let her live. She could have easily killed her – why didn't she? Did the older woman have a sense of compassion? Doubtful. _What she has is an agenda_, Miranda though grimly. _And an aptitude for precognition that I didn't even know was possible._

A sudden realization hit her: the entire fight, Nyx had been toying with her, like it had been some sort of sick game. Could Nyx's precognition really be _that _good? What secrets did she possess that Miranda was unaware of? Just the mere thought of having that type of knowledge made her skin tickle. She wanted it; she wanted it more than anything. No, she didn'tjust _want _that knowledge – she _needed _it. This desire - this irresistible craving – was beyond anything she had ever experienced.

She wished Tysin were with her – to give her advice, to console her, to tell her what to do. But then again, Miranda had already made up her mind. She had no doubts, no second-guesses; she was decided and determined, and there would be no stopping her until she achieved her goal.

* * *

So...what do you think? I wanted the first part of this chapter to be a major turning point, kind of like the first of many climaxes. So tell me if it worked, please!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

It always surprised Tysin how smooth the drop from hyperspace was. No matter how many thousands of times she had been through it, she always expected the ship to jolt or shudder or lurch – or do _anything _that signified its decrease in speed. But this time, like every other time, the Jedi Cruiser reverted to realspace in an unnoticeably smooth transition.

Thirteen days. It had taken her an agonizing _thirteen days _to return to Coruscant, explain her predicament to the Council, get clearance to take another Cruiser, and fly back to the Dantooine System. She felt a pang of guilt – and of worry – as her thoughts turned to her apprentice. She hated the idea of having stranded Miranda there for nearly two weeks, especially with that bizarre dark aura. _That_ thought made her more uncomfortable than anything. While she had full confidence in her padawan's abilities, Miranda had never been exposed to such…_raw _dark energies before, and she feared their effect.

Tysin was fully aware of the power of the Dark Side, as well as its more alluring qualities. She tried to push long-past memories from her head, but her shield collapsed and distant recollections flooded her mind. She remembered the horrific and tragic death of her Master, the result of an encounter with the Dark Side. She remembered barely escaping the incident with her own life, being questioned and watched and studied by the council for what seemed like weeks. She remembered them trying to assign a new Master to her, telling her that she had been tainted by a dark influence and needed training to undo its impact. She remembered refusing. She remembered insisting that she was ready for the trials. She remembered becoming one of the youngest Jedi Knights in history.

Looking back, twenty seemed far too young an age to become a Knight. Tysin sighed and rested her head against the back of the pilot's seat. Sure, she was smart, and she had combat skills to rival that of most masters, but Knighthood is about emotional maturity as well as physical ability. And that was where the Council had failed on principal.

They had agreed to let her take the trials because of "extenuating circumstances" – being that she had survived an encounter with and overcome the lure of the Dark Side, thus giving her a true, complete understanding of the Light Side – something that most Jedi never came to understand.

That was why most Jedi steered clear of her. They didn't understand her, or what she had gone through. Her experience in dealing with the Dark Side made them wary of her. _As if it didn't make me wary of myself,_ she thought with a humorless laugh. When she took Miranda for her apprentice, things had gone from bad to worse. She had received everything from disapproving stares to verbal assault from a countless number of Knights and Masters. Granted, her training methods were a bit unconventional, but Miranda was her brilliant proof of their successfulness.

Tysin leaned forward eagerly, her keen, dark brown eyes scanning the approaching planet. She wished that the cruiser would go faster, but the auto-pilot was set, and she didn't feel like landing manually; she never was particularly enthusiastic about flying. Tysin tried to hide a smile from unseen eyes - she was excited to see her apprentice. The pair had never gone so long without seeing each other or least having contacted one another somehow. Patience was definitely not Miranda's strong suit, but she always managed to find something to occupy herself with when she was bored. "I hope she hasn't done anything foolish," Tysin muttered aloud. She smirked, realizing that was probably wishful thinking.

* * *

Tysin Fallis, hands on hips, brown eyes scanning the destruction before her, stood and wondered only one thing: what _happened? _

She stood just outside the border of a tangled grove of trees, a few minutes outside of the Matale Settlement. When she stumbled across the small forest, the sight instantly grabbed her attention. Severed tree limbs littered the ground, their trail going a considerable distance inside the grove. Even a few trees had been toppled, but not by anything natural – their roots were upended, as if something had just pulled them out and pushed them over. She thought she sensed Miranda's presence nearby, but this just didn't make any sense.

Tysin took a few steps inside the twisting grove, noticing a mangled utility belt at the base of a shrub. She strolled over, picked it up, and before even examining it she recognized it. A closer look revealed multiple tears and shreds in the synthleather, and even a few specks of dried blood around one of the pouches. _What in the blazes has this girl gotten herself into?_

The Jedi marched deeper into the wood, clutching her apprentice's belt. A few beams of light shredded through the leaves overhead and helped to guide her through the murky grove. After a few minutes of attempting to navigate through the foliage Tysin came upon a particularly dense section of trees and bushes, masking what seemed to be a clearing just beyond them.

She felt a ripple in the Force as she slowly approached the natural barrier, making her wonder just what exactly was on the other side. Tysin felt another disturbance in the Force, but this one filled her with a sense of dread. Closing her eyes, she reached out with the Force. What she felt was a presence so potent and unnatural – so _malevolent _– that she almost dropped to her knees. The darkness in this presence was too overwhelming – she had to break the link to the Force.

Tysin opened her eyes abruptly and took several breaths. Her heart was pounding so hard against her chest it hurt, and the cold sweat against her skin made her shiver. In all her years of experience, she had never felt a presence like _that _before. She powered her way through the mesh of weeds and bushes and tree limbs, determined to find the source of the disturbance, but stopped dead in her tracks.

The sight before her sucked the breath from her lungs. Miranda's belt fell from her grip and dropped to the ground. Her body felt limp. She hadn't expected this. Not ever in a thousand years would she have expected _this_.


	15. Chapter 15

_Hello, all! Sorry for the delay on this one, but it took me a long time to figure out this transition...so tell me what you think please! I'm not sure how I feel about it yet, so I might be making some changes. _

* * *

Miranda rolled to the side as another pass from the vibroblade came dangerously close to her head. She had been evading the ceaseless attacks – unarmed - for what seemed like hours, and she was tiring. Nevertheless, as close as the strikes came to hitting her, they never did.

Her precognition abilities had increased exponentially in the less than two weeks she had been training. She grinned as she felt her attacker about to make a ground-to-sky sweep, but a simple backflip was all it took to avoid the blade. She hated to admit it, but Nyx really did know what she was talking about – she knew more about the art of precognition than any master at the Temple, that was for sure.

"Don't forget about shatterpoints," Nyx reminded, pressing her attack. The girl had come a surprisingly long way in a matter of days, and her teachings were beginning to take hold, even if the girl refused to admit it. The truth was evidenced by the way Miranda's style in combat had gradually changed from the traditional defensive to something much more aggressive, much more _primal_. The girl combined not only a strong grasp of the Force – as the Jedi had taught her – but also a deep connection to her natural instincts and feelings.

Miranda inhaled as she mustered the Force around her, opening her mind to the shatterpoints in her surroundings. Almost automatically, she reached out, exhaled, and tore a tree from the ground, sending it crashing down towards Nyx. The old woman jumped back just in time and let out a laugh.

"Congratulations," Nyx heaved, lowering her weapon. "You've worn out an old woman."

"Tired already?"

"Don't get cocky," the older woman snapped. "You still have much to learn. Remember to reach out with your feelings; the more aware you are of your own, the easier it will be for you to read those of your opponent."

Miranda nodded. "Got it." She didn't mind taking Nyx's advice, to her own surprise. Everything that Nyx had told her only increased her power, her speed, her ability, her precognition – and it didn't seem to conflict with what the Order taught, so surely there was no harm in that, right?

* * *

Deakin poured himself another mug of caf and leaned back, reading through his mission report on a datapad. He idly wondered if maybe he should take a cup of the drink to Miranda, while it was still warm; she would probably appreciate some type of sustenance. Right after her fight with Tysin she had locked herself up in one of the sleeping cabins onboard the ship and hadn't come out – that had been well over fourteen hours ago. Well, she hadn't actually _fought _with Tysin, but it had gotten close.

He and Cale had been waiting for them on the ship when Miranda stormed on board, followed closely by Tysin. They were having some kind of _very _heated debate, and he could easily sense their agitation through the Force. Fortunately, Cale stepped in before it had escalated into yelling or anything physical, but he got the feeling that it came remarkably close. _Too _close. Whatever the topic of their dispute was, it certainly hadn't been settled yet – he could feel the unrest through the Force as if it were tangible.

Deakin tapped lightly on Miranda's cabin door and waited. No answer. He knocked again, louder this time. Still, no answer. His eyes wandered to the activation panel, and he vaguely noted the alert message that read "locked." Another series of knocks was ensued by another disturbing silence.

"Mira?" He plastered the side of his head against the door, hoping for a response. "Miranda?" Total silence was his only reply, and he started to wonder whether or not she actually _was _inside.

"I brought you some caf." _That _statement elicited a response, in the form of ruffling bed sheets and the light patter of feet across the floor. Moments later the door slid open, a weary-eyed blonde leaning lightly against the doorframe. He immediately sensed something different in her – something _obscure _and unidentifiable – but dismissed it, supposing it was the result of her dispute with Tysin. She eyed him carefully, one arm outstretched, her hand reaching for the mug he held.

Deakin pulled the caf back and grinned. "That's not how this works," he said, pushing his way through the blocked entrance. She raised an eyebrow but said nothing, making sure to re-lock the door before following him to the small table across the room.

They sipped at their caf for a few minutes in silence, his fervent eyes never leaving her face. He watched as the contours of her face changed while she drank, admiring the way her soft skin creased ever so delicately, wishing that his fingers could trace every line, every curve, every texture. Her emerald eyes glanced up abruptly, as if she had felt his gaze; then, as quickly as she had looked up, her eyes descended back to the steaming caf in her palm.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He ventured, resting his elbows on the tabletop and leaning across it.

"Eh." She didn't look up.

Deakin smiled understandingly. "I didn't think you would."

"Thanks for the caf," she said after a pause.

Standing up, he allowed his hand to brush against hers. Even though momentary, the feeling of her skin against his was nothing short of electrifying. "If you need anything else…"

He dropped off the sentence as Miranda's look rose from the floor and came to a rest on him.

He had overstayed his welcome; that much was clear. It wasn't one of those looks that killed, but rather the kind that made him want to kill himself just to escape her penetrating gaze.

Miranda offered the hint of a tender smile at him, but he knew it was his signal to leave. He left slowly, savoring the feelings that floated through the air: attraction, doubt, warmth, desire, _longing_ – each one streamed through his mind and slowly dissipated as the door slid shut behind him.

The presence of Cale lurking in the hallway made him start.

"Mind your emotions, apprentice," the master warned, "and the Code."

Emotions. _I'm not the only one with them, _he mused bitterly. Reaching out with the Force, it revealed there were conflicts inside _all _of them - and they caused dissonance. He sensed that Miranda struggled with anger and bitter feelings, while Tysin had locked her emotions away in a mental strong box and seemed to be sitting on the lid as they struggled to free themselves. Cale, thankfully, was openly candid, saying and expressing as much as he was honestly able to. And Deakin himself? He used his quiet demeanor to mask turbulence beneath the calm surface.

"I _am_ mindful, Master," he replied, a calm façade plastered on his face. And it was true. In fact, he had never before been _more _aware of his feelings.

* * *

Nyx smiled maliciously underneath her draping hood. Everything had gone according to plan. Well, almost. She hadn't anticipated the girl's master finding them out, but that was no matter now. She had offered the girl a taste of the dark side, and it had been eagerly consumed. And when the dark side touches, it does _not _let go easily. She had finally succeeded in her mission; she had won the girl over. _And that_, she decided, _is the greatest weapon of all: to turn my enemies to my cause, to turn their knowledge against them. _


	16. Chapter 16

Just a quick shout-out to my 2 faithful reviewers, ELF Commando and Crystalheart! Thanks for your encouraging and helpful reviews =]

* * *

**Chapter 16**

Miranda waited quietly in a small, spartan chamber. The walls were painted white, with no furnishings but for the chair she sat on, a desk with an inactive console, and a flickering light fixture. She wondered idly if they were monitoring her, and perhaps speculating as to why she wasn't pacing in anxiety. No, she wouldn't give them the pleasure; _they _had locked her in that room like some kind of lab experiment to be studied, so _she _would refuse to play along. At this she smiled inwardly, though her face never wavered from the serene expression it held.

The door chimed and slid open soundlessly. A robed, unidentifiable Jedi strode in cautiously. "Apprentice Helo, the High Council has summoned you. They are waiting for you now in the Council Chamber." The Jedi stepped aside and beckoned to Miranda.

Miranda slid to her feet gracefully. She straightened her robes and touched a hand to her lightsaber. That the Council had not taken it from her had said…much. She stepped out and rolled her eyes as the Jedi followed closely behind her. The gesture irritated her, but it certainly didn't come as a surprise.

The blonde could sense her escort's hand resting lightly on his lightsaber hilt on the long walk to the council room; she could hear his breathing and feel his pulse, his movements, the very rhythm of his body: when he tightened his grip, when lengthened his stride to catch up to her – she could feel it all. _Tysin should be proud of what I've learned_, she thought bitterly, gnawing on the inside of her cheek. _She should be glad that I took initiative in my training_.

Instead, the last words Tysin had spoken to her were starkly different. _"What have you done, Miranda?"_ Tysin had said, her face full of shock and disbelief. _"What have you done?"_ That had been well over a day ago, back when they were on Dantooine. When the ship docked at the Temple, Tysin disappeared before Miranda could utter a word – not that she had wanted to at that particular moment, however. A force of Jedi had then "escorted" her to the "waiting room" while the Council discussed "a course of action." Now here she was, master-less, alone, and apparently on trial. But she would reveal the truth; she would show them that it was all a misunderstanding.

The Council chamber was filled with the susurration of quiet conversation; the large vault made the sounds echo endlessly, creating the illusion that there were more people than actually were present.

Silence descended abruptly when the doors opened, and all eyes turned to the slight figure that emerged. There was no sound, save for the patting of her boots as she walked across the wide expanse of the blindingly white marble floor.

Various eyes searched Miranda's face intently, looking for a sign of any feeling, but her expression revealed nothing but an unyielding sense of calm. Eyebrows were raised, surprise otherwise expressed if they had none.

The girl halted just within speaking distance of the assembled High Council.

Master Plo Koon stood and addressed the apprentice first. "Miranda Helo. You have been called before the High Council today to present your side of _all_ the events, from your arrival on Dantooine and all that transpired, leading up to and including your master's return." His raspy voice was Force-projected to all the corners of the chamber.

"Do I stand in judgment, Masters?" asked Mira quietly. Her voice, too, though quiet, was projected to all ears. Surprise again registered on faces when they slowly realized that her voice did not benefit from Force amplification. In the silence that followed, Miranda's gaze passed from one end of the room to the other. Every master present felt her burning gaze align momentarily on them.

"That is to be determined. For now, we simply wish to hear your account, specifically your thoughts and feelings – since we already know in detail your actions and how events transpired during the week when Master Fallis was not present," Ki-Adi Mundi put in.

"I would like to know why my master is not present now." It wasn't a simple statement, but a demand.

"We have already heard a detailed report from Tysin Fallis. Now we want yours," Mundi replied shortly.

She set her jaw determinedly and crossed her arms over her chest. "Is it not protocol for a master to be present when her apprentice addresses the Council?"

The faces of the Council members were a mixture of amusement, frustration, and understanding. Mace Windu cleared his throat. "The Council has determined that she may have an effect on your report," he sighed.

Miranda had raised a skeptical eyebrow, but shrugged and nodded in agreement to his request. She settled herself more comfortably on her feet taking an at-ease pose; legs slightly apart, hands clasped loosely behind her back.

She began her recitation. She spoke of their arrival at Dantooine and trip to the Jedi Enclave Ruins, of how she had felt fear and anger as soon as stepped foot on the grounds. She explained how she immediately sensed a presence and had heard voices, and how a wave of emotions washed through her body. Fear, surprise, anger, frustration. Confusion when she kept seeing visions of a cloaked figure and hearing her name being called. Relief when her master left. Gratitude towards a mysterious woman who was willing to teach her more about battle precognition. Eagerness towards learning from the woman, and resentment towards her for her unconventional and painful methods.

Throughout Mira's speech, her face never faltered from its mask of serenity. The assembled Masters marveled inwardly at her composure. There was still no anger that they could sense in her aura, though they were skeptical of how long she could keep the ruse up.

Miranda was now speaking of the time she had spent training with the older woman on her battle precognition. The mask finally cracked a little, revealing the remembered pain of her revelation. Despite their training to maintain a calm façade in the face of any situation, a few masters shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

Mira paused for a long moment, took a breath, then continued. "I sensed the dark side of the Force in her, but I also sensed…power. And potential. More than I have ever felt from another being. I thought that if I could just get a taste of that power – if I could harness it…I don't know. My battle precognition has never been better – and _she_ taught me that. She taught me ways to manipulate the Force that I never thought possible, methods of precognition that the Jedi haven't taught me; she showed me how to make myself _better_." She was rambling now, talking fast, and her mask had completely broken. Her arms were crossed in front of her, her feet constantly shifting, and her face was a mixture of passion and frustration.

An oppressive silence descended in the High Council. They were paralyzed with shock at Mira's confession to harnessing the power of the dark side. Guilt twisted at Mira's heart, that she was capable of betraying everyone she knew for her own benefit. No, she hadn't betrayed _them_; she had betrayed only her master, by accepting training from another non-Jedi.

"She taught you to use your passion to fuel your precognition powers, is that right?" Mace Windu asked in an unusually tentative voice. He shifted in his chair; he couldn't remember the last time someone had so openly confessed to submitting to the dark side.

"To use my feelings," Mira corrected. The serene mask was back on, her expression hardened. "In order to predict my opponent's actions, I have to understand his thoughts, feelings. If I can't even use my own…my precognition fails. But with the awareness of my own emotions, I can feel and understand and predict those of everyone else."

"We are talking about the path to the dark side," Adi Gallia commented, her chin resting on her fist. "You seem unusually comfortable with the subject."

"It's not the dark side," Miranda countered defensively. _It's the full potential of the Force. _"I use my powers to help people – shouldn't I make them as strong as I can? Shouldn't I increase my potential so that I can potentially save more people?"

"You have learned much wisdom, Mira, and you have so much potential. It…pains me to think you would throw it all away," Depa Billaba said softly.

"Throw it away?" Mira asked, disbelieving. A sudden, impacting revelation hit her: _they're jealous. They're jealous of what I've discovered! _

"You know the Code, Miranda," Windu continued. "And I've heard enough." He scanned the faces of his fellow Council members, and then gazed sadly at Miranda. "This Council has come to a decision. After hearing your own report, and confession, and not sensing any form of remorse for your actions, we have no other choice-"

"Masters, I don't understand. Remorse for what?" _Remorse for exceeding your abilities? For learning what you refused to teach me? For what you _couldn't _teach me?_

"-Miranda Helo, you are hereby expelled from the Jedi Order. You will forfeit your lightsaber, be stripped of your title and connections to the Jedi Temple as well as its members, and - because of your unfortunate discovery of the dark side – stripped of your ability to wield the Force."

The shock on Miranda's face was as strong as the sense of confusion and betrayal flashing through her head. What had she done wrong? What had she done to deserve this? The call of metal and blood was singing to her, and this shocked her more than the previous. _They hate me because of what I've learned; they hate me and they're jealous. _The room in front of her was suddenly spinning, and the figures before her were blurred into one confusing, distorted image faintly resembling a mangled and charred face. In the chaos that followed, the only thing she heard was a single phrase, repeated over and over: _strike, and run_.

Mira blinked and clutched at her head desperately trying to shake the vision. _Strike and run. Strike, and run_. "No!" She screamed abruptly, dropping to her knees. At this, the room stopped swiveling and her vision returned to normal. The Council was all standing, watching her carefully and murmuring amongst themselves. Sensing someone behind her, Miranda wheeled around and found herself face-to-face with her master.

Tysin clutched Miranda's shoulder and walked towards the Council. "There has to be another way," she pleaded, her eyes scanning the faces of every Jedi in the room. The silence that followed was the only answer she needed.

"Made a decision, the Council has," Yoda finally said. "Unfortunate, this is."

"I won't do this," Tsyin said firmly, her grip on her apprentice increasing.

"The Council has ordered you," Mace reminded her sternly, stepping forward. "It is your duty."

"It's also my duty to speak for my apprentice," Tysin replied, her voice raised. "Miranda's a great Jedi – she made a mistake. We can fix this; just give me the chance-"

"She knows too much of the dark side. The decision is final." Everyone's eyes turned to Ki-Adi-Mundi, who slowly walking toward the pair.

Miranda's eyes turned to Tysin pleadingly. "I don't understand, Master, please just give-"

"Their decision is final," Tysin echoed, not looking at her padawan. _"I'm sorry."_

"Begin," Windu ordered Tysin, who stepped in the center of the circle of Jedi and closed her eyes; she couldn't bear to see the hurt on her padawan's face, the betrayed and distant look that she knew would be there. Her hands reached out towards Mira, but they weren't beckoning her. The hands of all the other Council members mimicked her actions, and in the dizzying seconds that followed, Miranda dropped to her knees, feeling as if the very lifeblood was being sucked from her.

Was _this _what her master was known throughout the Temple for? For the ability to drain the living Force out of someone? Why had she never mentioned it? _How could it have come to this? No, I can't let this happen! They won't take the Force from me; they can't! _Mira closed her eyes, and the image of the dark and charred figure filled her mind once again, whispering the endless refrain: _Strike, and run. Strike, and run. _The voice was completely unfamiliar; but without understanding why, she did as it told, fully aware of the grim reality that she was about to face: there was nowhere _to _run.

In an instant Miranda was standing, hands lifted to the ceiling, mustering all of the Force that she could. She called on her emotions, on her pain and frustration and anger, until the power within her festered and seemed about to boil over. She pushed her arms higher, struggling to hold them, as if the very weight of the ceiling was pressing against them. She felt only the Force now, swirling around her, showing her the intricate shatterpoints in the room and directing her energy towards them.

When she dropped her arms, all was chaos. It was as if the Force exploded out of her, the very effort of just holding it in overtaking her. Every window in the High Council chamber was instantly shattered, and the Force-shock sent a handful of Council member stumbling backwards, caught off-guard and off-balance. And before they realized just what exactly was happening, Miranda was out of the window, plummeting through the harsh Coruscant night air.

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_Well, there it is! I hope it doesn't seem too "out-there," and that it's still relatively believable :)_

_This is a major turning point in my story, so I really would like to know what ya'll think! _

_Lastly, I only did a quick edit on this one, so if anything needs attention don't be scared to tell me! Thanks for reading!_


	17. Chapter 17

Wow. It's been quite a while since I've updated, but things have been _super _busy. Anyway, hope you enjoy this latest installment! As always, your comments and opinions and criticisms are more than welcome!

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**Chapter 17**

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The shocked and betrayed and hurt look that Miranda had worn on her face merely seconds before was now replaced with the hardened and determined look of a young woman who was fighting for her life. And falling through the sky. In a matter of seconds Miranda had found her target: a large taxi-speeder below her, coming her way. She leaned to one side and dove down, increasing her speed. The timing had to be perfect, or it wouldn't work.

Miranda slammed with a graceless "thud" against the hood of the speeder, trying desperately to gain a hold of _something _so she wouldn't slip off. She stole a quick glance through the viewport at the Twi-lek driver, who had a horrified look on his face. His head-tails were twitching uncontrollably and he was screaming at her in a language she didn't understand. Fortunately, he wasn't just some bastard who tried to shake her off. Instead, he held the taxi steady – that is, as steady as he _could_ – and gradually lowered altitude. Mira held on to the hood of the vehicle and ventured for the first time to look up. What she saw made her jaw drop.

Above her, four figures were soaring through the air, their long robes flapping violently in the wind. She thought that what _she_ had done was crazy…but to follow her? Ludicrous. The Masters above her were now leaping through levels of traffic, landing quickly on one speeder then hopping gracefully to one below it. They were gaining on her.

In a panic, Miranda dove clumsily off the taxi and fell through the air once more, this time landing on the front of a large air-bus. She twisted and tried to find a grip while the Rodian operating the vehicle was yelling and shaking his free fist, slamming to a stop almost instantly. The force was enough to send Miranda flying backwards into – and _through _- a window in the high-rise before them, crashing into the bedroom of an apartment.

Miranda winced as a stabbing pain shot through her abdomen, and she looked down to see a small shard of glass sticking from her side and a red stain beginning to form around it. She groaned, rolled over and pulled herself to her feet, ignoring her injuries. Stealing a peek out of the window she noticed four figures, stories above, frantically working their way lower.

Apologizing to the wide-eyed child that sat on the floor completely motionless, she shuffled out of the room, past two adults who were rushing her way and out the front door. She hustled to the repulsorlift at the end of the hall, holding her injured side, and punched the control panel furiously to take her lower.

Miranda was alone in the repulsorlift and took the few brief moments to collect herself. She pulled her hand from her side and growled as she tore the shard from her flesh, letting the blood flow freely now. She quickly readjusted her belt to cover the wound, fastening it as tight as it allowed her.

The numbers flashed as the lift took her farther and farther down, seeming agonizingly slow. Finally, the lift jerked to a halt and after a high-pitched "ding!" the doors slid open. Miranda didn't waste any time. She bolted out of the lift and soon the building, emerging onto the crowded and filthy lower-level streets. She didn't look up or behind her; she simply kept moving. The fugitive dodged past aliens of all sorts, sprinting as fast as she could, not sure what exactly she was headed towards.

Finally, she saw it: a flickering sign that read "DARKHAVEN'S DEN – CLUB AND CANTINA." _It _was her salvation, her hiding place, her sanctuary. It was a massive, multi-story building with mountains of people filtering in and out and loud music that made the vicinity around it literally shake. There was no way they would find her in there.

Miranda sprinted towards the entrance, shoving her way through crowds of people and drawing the stares of the surrounding pedestrians. Finally, she staggered through the large, open entrance, ignoring the bewildered looks of the patrons and bartenders who were wondering why a flustered, bleeding blonde was sprinting through the bar. She worked her way to the stairs and ascended to the second story, then the third, until she reached the eighth.

By this time, she was soaked with sweat and panting heavily, clutching at her injured side and trying to hide the blood that coated the entire area.

The light brush of a hand against her arm made her start, and she looked over to see a human male, mid-thirties, dressed in a fancy tunic and overcoat, smiling and holding out a cocktail towards her. After a quick survey of the man, trying to categorize him using the lethal/non-lethal distinction, she decided on the latter.

Miranda took the offered beverage eagerly – alcoholic or not, it was liquid, and her mouth was dry and lungs burning. She gulped the drink down, making a face at the strong taste as it tickled her throat.

"You look like you're trying to lose someone," the man said, his lips quirked in a small smile.

"What's it to you?" Miranda snapped defensively. She looked around the room suspiciously, ready to pounce on anyone who gave her so much as an odd look.

The man laughed, a deep, hearty bellow that shook his whole body. "I could help you get lost, sweetheart."

"Look," Miranda breathed, clutching her side and suddenly aware of her immense fatigue, "I don't know who you think you are-"

"I'm Roman Darkhaven," the man said flatly. "This is my cantina."

Miranda coughed.

"As I was saying," he continued, signaling the bartender for another drink, "If you're looking to lose some fools, I could guide you in the right direction." He handed Miranda another drink, this one a bright red with swirls of blue mixed in. She considered turning it down – the last one had been pretty strong – but realized that it would probably help numb the horrible pain that was shooting up her side.

"Why would you do that?" She asked cautiously, taking a gulp of the drink.

Roman winked. "There's not much I _wouldn't _do for a young thing like yourself."

Mira tried to resist gagging from disgust, and she was about to decline his offer when her thoughts were again interrupted.

_Trust him._

What was with that strange voice? She was so sick of taking the advice of a bodiless voice; it felt like she was losing her mind. Still, the voice _had _helped her in the past. "That's very gracious of you," she managed to say, while wondering just what she was getting herself into.

The man just laughed, placing one hand on the small of her back and leading her to a set of double doors in the back, guarded on either side by two large human males. "This is the VIP room," Roman explained. "No one gets through these doors except by my expressed, explicit permission. You'll be safe from any unwanted stalkers in there, sweetcakes."

Miranda brushed past Roman in a hurry, eager to lose her company and hopefully make herself invisible in the crowd. She scanned the room, realizing that this "VIP" room was more of a private entertainment piece. At the far end of the room was a stage, with a walkway coming towards her that extended almost the full length of the room. It was crowded with dancing girls, some climbing up and down poles, others on swings – all of them amusing the tables of men seated around the platform. In one corner stood a bar, and the other a doorway with a bright sign above it that read: PRIVATE ROOMS. Miranda didn't have to guess what went on in there. Green and red and blue lights flashed around the room, and the combined scents of lighted death sticks and ale was dizzying.

Miranda worked her way through the crowd of smartly dressed men, all wearing sleazy expressions. She searched for any sign that pointed towards a refresher, and after walking around for several unsatisfying minutes she approached the bar in the corner and sheepishly asked the bartender where it was. With a smug grin he pointed her in the right direction, and she immediately followed where his finger was pointing, her cheeks turning a bright pink.

Finally, she found shelter; a place that was safe, where she would be hard to reach. Locking the door behind her, she gingerly pulled off her tunic shirt and gasped at the bruised and bloodied mess that was her entire left torso. It took her the better part of fifteen minutes to clean the area and dress the wound, scavenging part of a tablecloth to use as a bandage. Now – finally - she could rest. Fortunately, there were a few sofas in the corner of the refresher near the door, and she sank down in one with a sigh of relief.

A few moments later, however, she felt a disturbance in the Force. She realized, in horror, that they had tracked her inside of the club. A mix of fear and anger flashed through her, and she called on those emotions to fuel her shielding. Hopefully, it would be strong enough to hide her presence from them.

Miranda waited for an agonizing ten minutes, focusing all of her energy on shielding her presence from her attackers. From the enemy. She was weakened from heartbreak, shock, her injury, and her escape, and she was drawing on the last reserves of her strength, trying to hold her shield as long as possible. She finally gave up, feeling more exhausted than she ever had in her life, not even caring anymore if the Jedi that had followed her, _found _her. She would make them kill her before she let them take the Force from her.

In a few short moments her fears were realized and her hopes were shattered, as a series of loud knocks on the refresher door reverberated throughout the metal. There was no call; just a few short knocks and then silence. Miranda stirred as she felt something in the Force. It wasn't bad…but it was unnatural. _They're overriding the lock_, Mira thought grimly, standing up and readying herself. She waited anxiously for what seemed like an eternity, when at last the door slid open with a squeak.

To her surprise, an army of lightsaber-wielding Council members didn't swarm in; the flash of an array of ligthsabers didn't irradiate the room, and she didn't have to face the smug looks that she knew would be on the faces of her pursuers. Instead, a slight, robed figure stepped inside, closed the door behind her and re-locked it. The figure pushed back her hood. "Miranda."

"Tysin." Miranda jumped back in an instant, lightsaber ignited, her features battle-ready and lips forced into a scowl. "Get out," she snarled.

"Padawan," Tysin started, about to step forward but realizing with a grimace that the gesture wouldn't be in her best interest. "The others are gone – it's just me; there's no need to be worried." She noticed for the first time the sad state that Miranda was in – topless, save for her undergarments, hair matted with dirt and the entire left side of her abdomen bruised, a trace of blood leaking through a makeshift tourniquet. A quick glance at a small round table tucked between two sofas told her exactly where_ that_ had come from.

"I'm not your padawan!" Miranda spat, a tear forming in her eye. "You tried to kill me!"

Tysin sighed. "Don't be so dramatic, Miranda. I didn't try to kill you."

"Well you might as well should have! I won't forgive you for what you did to me; get away from me." The tears were flowing freely down her cheeks now, but she wouldn't risk wiping at them. She tightened her hands around her lightsaber.

Tysin noticed the motion and tossed her own lightsaber across the refresher, the metal clattering on the cold stone floor. "Please don't say that," she said tenderly, the hurt evident in her voice. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"It's a little late for that," she muttered in response. "I don't ever want to see you again." Miranda tried to best to sound forceful, but she was so physically weak that it came out as little more than a whisper.

At this, Tysin sank to her knees, her arms hanging loosely by her sides. "Please, Miranda, I'm not going to harm you; let me help you."

Miranda's only response was to deactivate her lightsaber. Her stance, however, was still poised for battle, still alert. Even in this dramatic moment, Tysin admired the strength in the girl – to hold her composure and keep her guard up for this long was astounding. "I'm so sorry," Tysin offered, still on her knees. "I don't know what came over me…I made a mistake, a horrible one, and I don't expect you to forgive me or trust me again, but _please_…You've no idea how it hurts me to see you in a state like this. Just let me help you."

_That _bombshell certainly had an effect. Tysin wasn't one to readily admit to either pain _or _mistakes, and this made Miranda pause before she spoke. "I could use bacta," she admitted, relaxing her stance a bit. As she did so her body shuddered, but whether it was from her anger, her injury, or her fatigue Tysin couldn't tell.

Tysin's face brightened slightly and she willingly reached down to her utility belt and pulled out a bacta capsule. She was about to stand up when Miranda stopped her. "No," she ordered, still holding her lightsaber in her hand. "Toss it over here."

Tysin did as she was told and gently rolled the bacta capsule across the floor. Miranda stooped to pick it up, and feeling suddenly dizzy, leaned against a refresher stall door for support. The shock of the day's events and her wound were finally catching up with Miranda, making her lightheaded and extremely weak. She slowly tried to bend back up, but her faintness overcame her and she fell stiffly to the side, her head directed towards the sink. Tysin was there in an instant, catching the younger woman and sinking under the dead weight of the unconscious girl.

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Miranda Helo woke up slowly from a deep yet restless and dreamless sleep. Her mind hadn't yet registered the previous day's events, and she rubbed at her eyes before allowing them to open fully. She sat up and cringed as a sharp pain shot through the lower half of her body. Looking down, she took note of a clean bandage wrapped neatly around her abdomen and a few smears of bacta surrounding it. Her mind instantly played back yesterday's traumas, and she sat in stunned silence as she soaked everything that had happened.

She looked around her, trying to recall where she was – and why she had fallen asleep there. The memories of the club and the refresher and the confrontation with Tysen flooded her head, overwhelming her. On the sofa next to her she found a small survival pack, and after digging through it she discovered multiple bacta med-packs, protein capsules, a clean tunic and a stack of credits.

Confused, she continued to look around her, her eyes not yet acclimated to the light. She made out the shape of a datapad tucked neatly underneath the survival pack and impatiently pulled it out. The screen flickered to life, revealing a message:

Mira,

I've left you some medical supplies, food and a fresh tunic, along with all the credits I could manage to scrounge up. Don't worry, I reported to the Council last night that I was unable to locate you, so you're safe. For now. They're not going to give up the search that easily, though. In the morning they're sending out a few teams of the Temple's best Seekers to look for you. I recommend you lay low, stay out of crowded and popular areas, and just find an abandoned area or a slum to hide out in for the next few days. DO NOT attempt to use _any _form of public transport – they're monitoring every taxi-cam, every air-bus station, you name it. Just stay hidden, and do your best to shield your presence.

The Council sees you as a threat; they're scared of what you're capable of. Please, don't try to fight – this is a battle you can't win. The odds are against you. You're safest bet is just to keep running and hiding. I'll try to stay in contact, and when the time is right I'll find you and we can figure this out.

Remember to put bacta on your wound at least twice every day, and change the dressing, too.

Tysin

That was so like Tysin: straight to the point, and a very tactical manner to writing. Miranda looked wistfully down once more at her wound, gingerly rubbing her fingers over the dressing. _She really was trying to help me, _she realized. _But I can't expect the same treatment from her again; I can't from _anybody. She could handle the huge amount of danger and trouble she had been placed in yesterday – not to mention during her entire career as a Jedi. _That _certainly wasn't an issue. _Big Bad _out to get her was yesterday's news. And death traps to the left and right? She had seen that all before. What really brought the tough Jedi to her knees, however, was the same thing that had the power to cripple even the most seemingly invincible heroes: betrayal. _And I won't let them live that down._

Miranda stumbled out onto the Coruscant streets, her eyes not yet acclimated to the light. The air, though anything but _fresh_, was a welcome relief from the dank, musty smell of sweat and ale that she had been forced to put up with inside the Cantina _all night long_.

She adjusted her clothes as she walked, wishing that she had her familiar tunic instead of _this_. A simple pair of black trousers clung to her legs, and equally dark boots ran the length of calf, almost to her knee. A gray shirt and black vest covered her top section. _At least my clothing won't give me away. _She tucked her hair behind her ears and yanked the hood over her head, increasing her pace to a brisk walk.

Tysin had said that the Seekers were looking for her. If that was true, she was in significantly more danger now that she had been last night. The Seekers were a special branch of Jedi Knights, singled out for their innate ability to sense-out the presence of certain individuals. Their training for this was very secret, but known to include espionage courses and extremely intense combat training. They were experts with an array of weapons, and from what little Tysin had told her during their years together, they didn't hesitate to fight. Yes, if these Seekers were actually after her, she was in serious trouble.

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Please let me know your thoughts! =)


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